Raindrops in the Sand
by Silver Hyacinth
Summary: What exactly does it mean to fall in love at first sight? Kageyama didn't really know, but when he looked into the eyes of a short redheaded piano player, he thought he felt something that came pretty close. — Kagehina. Music school AU.
1. Prelude Op 32, No 5

**Chapter One**

 **-** ❤- **Prelude Op. 32 No. 5** **-** ❤-

* * *

"Do you know where I put my violin case?" Kageyama stood in the doorway of his new dorm room with a frown. Unpacked boxes were lying folded in the corner waiting to be taken to the recycling, and everything was perfect, _except_... his violin. "I swear I brought it up earlier."

His mother poked her head around the door-frame. "Oh. I put it under your bed."

Kageyama clicked his tongue in annoyance and ducked down as his mom skipped back off down the hallway. Getting on his knees, he dug around under the bed before retrieving his violin case and dragging it out. Inside, his violin was still in pristine condition, the wood that he polished every day still shiny and perfect.

His father had given it to him on his seventh birthday. He'd wanted to learn violin for several years, but his family hadn't had enough money to buy one or pay for lessons. When his dad got a new job, the first thing he did was buy Kageyama a violin and set him up for lessons.

Only a few short months later, his father was killed in a car accident. The violin was still Kageyama's most treasured possession—the last connection he had to his dad, and the object that sparked his passion for music. Every time he picked it up and set bow to string, he felt like his father was still with him, and that was perhaps the greatest gift of all.

"Tobio, this is the last box!" His mother trudged back into the room loudly, startling him out of his nostalgia. He quickly packed his violin back in the case and stuck it under the bed again, standing to take the box from her. "Thanks. I probably couldn't have moved all these without your help."

She laughed and ruffled his hair. "Well, I am your mom, silly." She gave him a fond smile and pulled him into a tight hug as soon as he'd set the box down. "I'm going to miss you, Tobio. Promise you'll come visit every holiday?"

"I promise, Mom." He pulled away and gave her a reassuring smile. "It's not like I'm moving to another _continent_ : It's just music school."

"Yeah, yeah," she snorted, shoving him away jokingly. "Cheeky kid. I've gotta get going now. Call me as soon as you're settled in, okay?"

"Mmhmm. See you later, Mom." He watched her go, smiling as she blew him a kiss over her shoulder. As soon as she was out of sight, it dropped and he let out a sigh. Flopping down on the bed face-first, he buried his face in the pillows and stared at the wall. It was still a little surreal that he was actually staying at one of the most prestigious fine-arts schools in the world.

Just last week he'd been finishing his high school exams, and now here he was at Karasuno Academy of Music. It made him excited, scared, and ecstatic all at once. To think that he'd have a chance of becoming a pro violin player was a dream come true. He was afraid if he went to sleep that night, it'd all be a dream in the morning.

Sliding off the bed, Kageyama grabbed his violin and ran a finger along the smooth wood. "You andme dad," he whispered, resting his hand on the strings. "Here we go."

* * *

"Welcome to Karasuno Academy of Music. I will be your tour guide this evening. Everyone, please stay close to me. We have a tight schedule to keep. Now; up we go!"

Kageyama joined a large gathering of new students on the quad as they started up the stairs towards the main hall. The tour of the campus would no doubt take a while considering the sheer size of the school grounds, but Kageyama figured it would probably be good to know his way around—though he _had_ considered skipping.

Now he was seriously regretting deciding to come because their guide was the type that stopped every few seconds to point out some part of the school and spout off a ton of historical nonsense about architecture and whatnot. The tour would probably be done by the time everyone had shriveled up and died of old age.

As they moved into another section of the school—a hallway lined by intricate pillars—and their guide stopped once again to address a mural painted on the marble ceiling, Kageyama paused a few feet back from the rest of the group with an irritated sigh. He was seriously considering making a run for it when a faint sound coming from one of the branching hallways caught his ear.

It was melodious, soft, and beautiful, sending shivers down Kageyama's spine. Someone was playing the piano.

Shooting a wary glance at his tour guide to make sure he was in the clear, Kageyama edged around a pillar and out of sight. As soon as his group wandered off down another hallway, Kageyama breathed a sigh of relief and allowed himself to still, tracking the source of the music. Lilting, exquisite; he followed the perfect notes down the shadowy hall and towards a door at the very end.

He'd never heard music this way before. The _song_ he recognized—Rachmaninoff's Prelude Op. 32 No. 5—but he'd never heard it played like _this_. The song itself wasn't particularly sad, but the way this person played it was dark and haunting, and it made Kageyama feel like he was about to burst into tears. Who was playing this way?

The cracked door loomed in front of him, lit by a spot of sunlight from a skylight above, and Kageyama paused outside, holding his breath and peering through the door's window to peek inside. A lone boy sat behind a grand piano, his back turned to Kageyama and his head bowed. His hair was like a shock of sunlight, bright orange and spilling everywhere. His pale fingers seemed to barely touch the keys, but somehow still produced such a heartbreaking sound.

Kageyama was so entranced listening to the boy play that he leaned forward more than he meant to and the door made a loud squeak as it opened a few more inches. He let out a string of swears under his breath and pressed his back against the wall in anticipation, but nothing happened. The playing continued, and Kageyama slowly poked his head back around the doorway to see that the boy hadn't moved.

He sighed in relief and quietly crept forward, listening to the last few notes of the song as he eased the door closed. He hadn't been spotted. Not that it really mattered if he was, but he didn't want to seem like a creep. Still, this boy had real talent. To take a song and completely change the way he had was... _amazing_.

"...and heading back this way, we'll see the west wing, which is filled with music rooms that you students may rent out to practice as you see fit."

Letting out a silent string of curses, Kageyama ducked behind a pillar and tried to make himself as small as possible as the tour group looped back around and passed down the hallway just inches away from him. As the last few people skittered by giggling, he slid around the other side of the pillar—just in time to see the boy closing and locking the door.

He froze like a deer in headlights, but the boy still didn't seem to notice him, tucking the key in his pocket and walking down the hallway with a stack of sheet music in his arms, completely oblivious. Kageyama, feeling like he'd dodged a bullet, sank down to the floor and held a hand to his chest. _That was close..._

Glancing back down the hallway, he ran his fingers through his hair with a sigh. _I didn't see his face._ He propped his chin in his hand and frowned at the floor, his reflection staring back up at him from the freshly polished surface. _I wonder if I'll see him again..._

"Hey, you!" Kageyama's head jerked up at the sudden exclamation to see a teacher striding down the hallway towards him with an accusatory glare. "Why are you sitting there? Get to class at once!"

"Sorry, I'm sorry!" He popped to his feet and darted around the corner, hoping to find his way back to his dorm before any more instructors caught him loitering. Still, even as he walked and his panic died down, the music from earlier haunted him like it was still being played, and the melody stayed with him no matter how far he traveled.

Somehow, Kageyama got the feeling this wasn't his last encounter with that strange redheaded boy.

* * *

 **A/N:** First chapter, so this one's a little short, but I really wanted to write this so here it finally is. I was playing around with some music AU ideas and this was my favorite one. Hope you guys enjoyed ^-^


	2. Adagio

**Chapter Two**

 **-** ❤- **Adagio** **-** ❤-

* * *

Classes began the next morning. There were basic core classes, but the majority of the day's courses included lessons like basic composition, reading music, aural skills, and elements of music. Kageyama found the classes easy but interesting, though he had trouble focusing on the professors' lectures as he was preoccupied watching the enigmatic mystery that was the redheaded boy from the music room.

They had all the same classes together, but the boy never spoke to anyone or raised his hand. Everyone seemed to ignore him for the most part: like a piano or a music stand, he was just _there_. What Kageyama found particularly interesting about him, however, was that he took notes diligently and seemed to understand the material far better than everyone else, even though he never said a word or asked a question.

At lunch, he went to sit at a table by himself, constantly sketching in a leather-bound notebook that never left his side. Kageyama had managed to get a glimpse inside its pages only once, and they'd been covered with music notes and intricate, impressive sketches of people and instruments. This only added to the mystery of him, and no matter how hard or how long Kageyama studied him, he never revealed anything about himself.

Eventually, after a few days of staring at his back in the classroom, Kageyama began to grow annoyed by his aloofness. Was it an act to make him seem cooler? But nobody ever acknowledged him, so there was no point. Perhaps he was just unbearably shy? That would make more sense considering he was always alone or never said a word, although it was still just a guess.

But Kageyama prided himself on being a great judge of character, and this kid gave him nothing whatsoever. He could've been Russian for all he knew. Still, he hadn't decided if he wanted to approach him yet, because to do that would be giving in, and somehow losing to the shrimpy ginger, which he wasn't willing to do just yet. _Someone_ had to know something about him: he was a student, after all.

His chance to gather information came with class demonstrations. They'd been working on reading sheet music—though Kageyama was already gifted in that area—and so far the results had ranged from lackluster to semi-efficient. A blonde girl had destroyed Tchaikovsky's Symphony Four Oboe Solo while a brunette executed Toccata in D Minor fairly well—though nothing to call home about, Kageyama thought.

Still, the demonstrations were pretty depressing—until he was called up. The teacher glanced up from his call book and quirked a finger in his direction, finally giving the mystery boy a name. "Hinata, looks like you're up."

Hinata closed his sketchbook, tucking it safely in his back before shuffling down the aisle without meeting anyone's gaze. Kageyama watched him take a seat behind the piano, the instrument completely dwarfing him, with a vexed huff. Nudging one of his classmates insistently, he pointed at him beseechingly. "Hey. Who is he? What's his deal?"

The other kid glanced at the front with a raised brow. "Oh, Hinata Shōyō? He's one of the best pianists here, although... he doesn't really talk much. Actually, he's—"

Kageyama clicked his tongue and ignored the rest of his sentence, glancing back at the front, where the redhead was just setting his fingertips against the keys. As he began to play, the room quieted and Kageyama leaned forward in his seat, fingers clenching painfully against the railing in front of him. As before, the way he played somehow changed the song into something completely different, so much so that it took him a moment to recall its name. _Bach's Adagio... but how is he changing it so much? Won't he be docked points for that?_

Still, as his fingers struck the ivory keys, the resulting sound was so beautiful, Kageyama had a hard time finding any fault with it. He played so beautifully... To completely capture an entire audience without even trying? A talent like that was almost terrifying. And even though Kageyama knew he was being bewitched, he could do nothing to stop the spell from taking root in his chest and spilling tears over his eyelids.

Even as his fingers struck the last melancholy notes of the melody, Kageyama found himself wishing the music could go on forever.

* * *

Later that night, Kageyama lay awake in his bed and stared at the ceiling, headphones over his ears as he listened to a classical music playlist. He'd given up on homework thirty minutes ago and resigned himself to ten minutes of practicing before his fingers got tired and he flopped on his bed with resignation. All day his mind had been replaying Hinata's piano piece. It didn't even have words, and yet it wouldn't get out of his head.

How could he create such a sad song without crying? Kageyama hadn't cried since second grade, and yet he'd broken into tears twice in the same week at the sound of the despondent music. It was embarrassing and frustrating, but most of all irritating. Kageyama had always been the best at music, yet here was this silent carrot-top who could mystify him with a single note.

He flopped over on his stomach and buried his head in the pillow with a loud groan, kicking his legs childishly and holding the headphones tighter against his ears. _Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot—_ His foot landed against the foot board and Kageyama yelped, rolling into a tight ball and trying not to swear as he glared at the wall and rolled back and forth, screeching internally as his toe throbbed.

He was being stupid. All of this was stupid. Why let himself get so worked up over something so trivial? It wasn't like it was going to solve anything. What he really needed to do was find a way to confront Hinata without seeming too weird or threatening, which tended to be hard for him. He'd driven away classmates at all his other schools because his face was 'scary and uninviting.' _Pfft_. Like that was his fault.

Friends were useless anyway. They didn't get how serious he was about music, and they only slowed him down. If he wanted to get ahead, he'd have to count on himself, and _only_ himself. He would complete the year at this academy and graduate and go on to become an amazing violinist—and he wouldn't even remember Hinata's stupid dumbass name.

Besides, it wasn't like him to get all worked up like this. He'd always kept a calm outer facade to keep others from having anything to use against him—it was just the smart thing to do. It made people take him more seriously at first glance. It would make Hinata take him seriously when he finally confronted him and—

" _No_!" Kageyama sat up so quickly, he knocked off his headphones, slapping both cheeks with enough force to set his head spinning. "We're not... thinking about that shrimpy... idiot anymore!" He shook his head insistently and repeated the mantra until he felt sufficiently worn out and could fall back on the mattress with an exhausted sigh and no endless internal piano-playing. "Alright... okay."

Pulling his covers over his head, Kageyama nodded to himself with determination and clutched the blankets tightly. "Okay... you're going to sleep, and tomorrow, you'll confront Hinata and that'll be that." He nodded to himself again and nuzzled into the pillows with a relieved exhale. "Yes... perfect."

* * *

In the morning, Kageyama trudged down the hall with a twitching eyebrow, dark circles, and a perpetual scowl. "Great... I ended up getting no sleep last night, and now I have to go track down this loser just so I can get this anxiety out of my system and take a five minute nap before class." As he continued muttering to himself, his tired eyes scanned the crowds of students heading to and from breakfast with the scrutiny of a hawk.

The affect seemed to be fairly disconcerting, because several people physically jumped out of the way or crossed to the other side of the hallway as he passed. Kageyama ignored them all, grumbling to himself sourly about his lack of rest as he scanned the corridors for a sign of red hair to pounce on. He was having no luck until he rounded a corner and came upon the same music room where he'd been the first time, and lo and behold, Hinata himself was just exiting, toting an armful of music books under one arm and smiling absentmindedly.

Kageyama sprung on him the second they made eye-contact, scaring the boy so much, he dropped all of his materials with a silent yelp. He hurriedly bent down and began collecting them, smile gone, and Kageyama reluctantly helped, recognizing that the collision was his fault. "I didn't know you would freak out like that," he mumbled irritably as he passed the shrimp a few books and they both stood.

God, he was even tinier up close; at least a head and a half shorter than Kageyama, and so skinny, he probably would've disappeared if he turned sideways. It made Kageyama feel huge and threatening as he took a hesitant step back and tried to slouch a little. "Um... sorry. I'm Kageyama Tobio. I just wanted to talk to you. I didn't know you would, you know—" He made a vague fumble gesture before trailing off awkwardly.

The boy kept staring at him, one eyebrow raised in confusion. Kageyama flushed and looked away, covering his mouth and scratching at his neck, giving his hands something to do. "Um, well... I was just wondering what's up with you, since you never talk and stuff..." He coughed and held out his hands placatingly. "I mean, not that there's anything _wrong_ with that! I was just curious..."

When Hinata still didn't say anything, Kageyama dropped his arms lamely and let out a dissatisfied hum. "Um, well... if you're not going to talk, I'll just go."

He made to turn around, Hinata made a small noise and grabbed at his arm, pulling him back around. He bounced up and down persistently, gesturing with his free hand at his ears and then making a few weird gestures, touching his hand to his ear and then his chin a few times before making a few weird sliding and crossing gestures.

Kageyama stared at him in confusion as the shorter boy kept waving his hand around (kind of cutely, he thought) until something in the back of his brain finally clicked into place and his mouth formed an o of understanding. "Oh, you're... deaf?"

Hinata smiled in relief and nodded, shaking his fist in what Kageyama assumed meant 'yes.' He opened his mouth but paused and held up a finger, setting the pile of books on the ground and flipping open a notebook to an empty page. He pulled a pen from the pocket of his uniform jacket and scrawled out a fast message before handing it to Kageyama. ** _What did you want to talk about?_**

He hesitated a moment before taking the pen from Hinata's delicate fingers. Now that he knew he was deaf, Kageyama's questions had mostly been answered, but he figured they may as well have a proper introduction. **I'm new and I don't know anyone yet, so I came over to talk when I saw you. What's your name?**

Hinata's smile brightened at the question and he signed his name once before writing it. **_Hinata Shōyō. What's yours?_**

Kageyama was about to take the pad from him when a nasally voice came calling down the hallway for him. "Hinata, it's time for your lessons!"

"Ah..." Kageyama gestured behind him awkwardly. "Someone's... calling for you."

The redhead jumped, mouth forming a cute little soundless 'oh,' and fumbled to cap the pen, sticking it back into the depths of his pocket as he hurriedly gathered up his many books. He gave a clumsy wave to Kageyama and smiled again before darting down the hallway and disappearing into a new music room, the door slamming shut behind him.

A shell-shocked Kageyama stood in the hallway, staring at the space Hinata had occupied with an inexplicable blush dusting his features. So he was deaf, huh? That certainly explained the no talking thing. And he wasn't very angry anymore—how _could_ he be at someone so awkwardly adorable? He was like a mute baby deer, although Kageyama flushed harder thinking up that terrible analogy.

First the music, and now the kid himself. Kageyama was digging himself quite a deep grave. If he wasn't careful, he just might make a friend.

* * *

 **A/N:** A big thanks to everyone who had reviewed so far! Sorry I haven't responded to anyone ;-; I've been sick with the flu despite other problems so I've been updating sporadically and only recently gained the inspiration to start writing for this story.

Anyway, If you want to listen to the songs that I've mentioned so far, you can easily look them up. The piano piece featured in this chapter was Johann Sebastian Bach's Adagio, BWV 974, and in the last chapter, it was Rachmaninoff's Prelude Op. 32 No. 5. There should be a song featured in nearly every chapter, so I'll say the full titles and name of the composers down in the A/N section so you guys can go back and listen to them.

There are also likely mistakes in this chapter since I'm writing deathly ill and on my laptop, so please don't be afraid to correct me on anything you see amiss. Until next time everyone~ ^-^


	3. Nocturne

**Chapter Three**

 **-** ❤- **Nocturne -** ❤-

* * *

The next day, Kageyama didn't see Hinata until his third class of the day, composition. For some reason, he felt unusually excited when he finally caught a glimpse of him, and when their eyes met, his heart nearly dropped out of his chest when Hinata smiled and gave him a tiny wave from where he was sitting in the top corner of the classroom, separated from the others, as per usual.

Kageyama shoved the sign language book he'd been reading deep into his bag and sat down two rows down from him, hiding his flush inside his composition binder. This was terrible. No good at all. If he was going to become a blubbering mess whenever Hinata was close, there was absolutely no way he was going to survive the entire year. Just no way.

And Hinata certainly wasn't making it any easier. When Kageyama inevitably glanced back at him, he nailed him in the shoulder with a poorly balled-up note and held a finger to his lips in a silent shush, holding back a smile. Kageyama whipped around and clutched at his head as he took a moment to calm himself down before carefully unfolding the message. **_You never told me your name._**

He glanced at the boy once more before writing a hasty response and throwing it back while the instructor was looking away. **It's Kageyama Tobio.**

From the corner of his eye, he caught Hinata beaming as he scribbled back. **_How do you like the school so far? It can be pretty confusing to new students considering how big it is._**

Kageyama's pencil hovered over the paper as he bit his lip anxiously. _Okay, new plan; we're not ignoring him now. We're getting to know him. And this is the perfect opportunity! Ask him to show you around!_ Kageyama's brain moved his hand for him and tossed the note back over his shoulder before his rational half could chicken out. **Yeah, it is confusing. Maybe you could show me around.**

He buried his face in his hands and snuck a glance at Hinata, who was busy writing, with a silent whine of agony. He was acting so _embarrassing_... like a twelve-year-old with a crush. Which was ridiculous; utterly ridiculous. Kageyama didn't get crushes. Everyone was disgusting or annoying, which therefore annihilated all possible forms of romantic interest. _Unless_ , apparently, they were redheaded, deaf, and miniature.

The paper zinged over his shoulder and struck Kageyama's left hand, which scooped it up despite his anxiety. **_Sure! I've been here for a while so I know my way around pretty well. I also heard you play the violin? That's amazing! I was only ever good at the piano, but we should try a duet sometime! I've never done one before and I really want to hear you play. We could meet in the music room after class!_**

"Gah..." Just the way he wrote gave Kageyama a good sense of his personality, all run-on sentences, exclamation marks, and raw enthusiasm. He found himself grimacing as the words shouted themselves out in his head and he tried to press the mute button. _A duet? No way. I haven't done one since..._ He cringed and brushed away the painful memory, forcing himself to pick up his pencil and write back. **Sure, I'll meet you in the music room, but I really can't do a duet. I left my violin back in my room.**

Hinata frowned behind him but seemed to recover quickly, throwing him back the note within a few seconds. **_That's fine! We'll play together some other time. Anyway, the professor will take roll soon, so we should pay attention._ **He pointed at the front of the room for emphasis when Kageyama glanced back at him and he felt his chest seize again.

 _Adorable... I'm such a dead man._

* * *

After comp ended, Hinata pranced down the row enthusiastically to meet Kageyama by the door, beaming like a miniature sun. Kageyama glanced away and his mind flashed back to the signs he'd been studying. Facing his redheaded compatriot, he hesitantly raised his hand and tried out one of them. His fingers felt stiff and awkward compared to the ones he'd seen Hinata's deft fingers pull off, but he still wanted to attempt to breach their language barrier.

To his surprise, Hinata laughed and shook his head meaningfully, grabbing Kageyama's hand and fixing it, much to the detriment of his heart. _Like this,_ the shorter boy mouthed carefully, moving his hand again in the proper way. _You were saying something else._ His brown eyes sparkled with laughter as he released Kageyama's hand and moved out of the classroom, leaving him to follow behind uselessly, trying not to faint.

 _Pull yourself together, Tobio. Game face, game face, game face._

They rounded the corner and Hinata sort of skipped to a stop, pulling a key from his pocket and inserting it into the lock. The door clicked and the two entered, Kageyama hesitating for a moment at the threshold before stepping inside. It was hard to explain, but he almost felt like he was intruding. The only one who ever used this room seemed to be Hinata, and by entering, he felt like a stranger trespassing on private grounds.

Hinata didn't seem to mind, however, and beckoned him farther in, setting his bag down and going to rummage around in a nearby cabinet. Kageyama set his own stuff down and glanced around the small room curiously. There wasn't much to it—just a piano, some music stands, and a few bookshelves—but there was a sort of happy feeling to it, like lots of laughter had filled the place.

With a crashing sound, Hinata stumbled out of the closet wielding a case that was nearly the side of his torso, placing it gently into Kageyama's hands with a wide smile. _I forgot this was in here!_ He signed and mouthed the words at the same time, which was a little bit confusing, but also a little cute. _Now we can play a duet together!_

Before Kageyama could get a word in edgewise, Hinata pulled him over to the piano and sat down on the bench, pulling up the cover. This time, he pulled out a pad of paper and reverted to writing. _**Nocturne in C Sharp Minor. Do you know it?**_

"Eh, I— I really can't play a duet," Kageyama insisted nervously, trying to hand him back the violin case. "It's just... not my thing."

Hinata frowned at him, but just as before, he couldn't seem to stay upset for more than a few seconds and grinned. _I'll play for you then,_ he mouthed, gesturing between them. He gently took the case out of Kageyama's hands and set it on the floor out of the way before tugging him down by the wrist. Realizing what he wanted, Kageyama took a seat next to him on the bench and Hinata's eyes turned up at the corners as he set his fingers against the keys with a more somber smile.

As he began playing, Kageyama recognized the song—Nocturne, as he'd suggested, but a piano-only version. The song was perfect; the key work exquisite and notes lilting. Just like with every other piece Kageyama had heard him play, Hinata changed the tone entirely, though now the element had changed from sadness to excitement, and he played the piece with enthusiasm and an upbeat tempo change. It was astounding how he could take a song and twist it to fit his emotions—almost like he himself was a composer.

It was so happy, Kageyama couldn't help but want to play along, and although they'd only just met, Hinata's smiling face as he played the song told Kageyama all he really needed to know about him.

* * *

Later that night, after dinner and a shower, Kageyama sat cross-legged on his bed and played his violin. He wanted to try Nocturne after hearing Hinata play it so beautifully, and as expected, it sounded perfect, although he couldn't change the tone like the other boy had done, which proved equal parts frustrating and mystifying. Despite having become acquainted with him, Hinata Shōyō remained a mystery.

Kageyama wasn't entirely sure if that mystery was really in need of solving. As long as he could keep listening to that soft sound, maybe he would be alright with letting the riddle roam free. Really, the way he played was just... astounding. Kageyama wanted to record it and listen to it for hours and hours on end, though if he told Hinata that, he'd probably call him crazy.

His bow finished the last note of Nocturne and Kageyama's arm stilled as he let the instrument drop to his lap, staring out the window with a sigh. The night was cloudless and the moon hung in full brilliance in the sky, illuminating the school grounds in a coating of silver. Kageyama could see several constellations and traced them with his eyes, running a finger along his violin absentmindedly.

Maybe he should try a duet. Even if it hadn't gone well the last time, or any of the times before, Hinata wasn't like everyone else. He seemed different; reliable. If Kageyama could just get past a few of his barriers, he was sure they'd make an excellent team. Maybe Hinata could finally heal the whole that so many others had widened and cure him of his inability to perform an accompaniment. If he could, it would take his musical career to new heights.

 _But still..._ Kageyama grimaced and his hand tightened on the bow, almost protectively. _I can't know that for sure. What if I try and it's like all the other times?_

He placed his violin back in the case gently and closed it with a soft, regretful exhalation. He really wanted to open up, but no matter how hard he tried to persuade himself, it always ended in him backing out like a coward. He just couldn't push himself past those dreadful feelings of failure and regret; of everyone's voices echoing negatively in his head, telling him that he'd never become anything.

His violin was the only one that was always there for him. Of course, Kageyama knew it was unhealthy to shove everyone away, but the memories kept him tied down while the music persuaded him to stay there. But maybe he had it easy. Hinata was deaf, but he could somehow still play the piano with so much beauty and meaningfulness. He'd really have to ask him about that sometime...

Nevertheless, he needed to get a grip, because it was nearing ten o'clock, and he still had homework to get done, not to mention polishing his violin and making his bed. Still, his mind refused to stop lingering on thoughts of Hinata and his proposal for a duet. He'd seemed so earnest—Kageyama had _never_ seen anyone so earnest before, actually—and he hadn't even been mad when Kageyama refused: He'd just offered to play _for_ him instead of with him.

What kind of person was like that? No one he'd ever met before, that was for sure. But dammit, it was endearing. So stupidly, grossly, irritatingly _endearing_. It was like God had taken a bit of every good quality and mixed it into one tiny, redheaded package—which was incapable of speaking, but still idiotically perfect in Kageyama's eyes.

Honestly, he kept telling himself to stop hanging around him and to cut himself off before he got too attached, but every time he saw Hinata, his mind did a 180 and he stuck to him like a magnet. That dumbass pianist idiot had some kind of creepy witchy pull on him that made him act completely stupid whenever Kageyama was within ten feet of him, and by God, he knew if he didn't cure this quickly, he'd definitely fall head over heels for Hinata Shōyō in no time at all.

And that was forbidden. Absolutely, totally out of the question. Even if he was short and endearing and adorable and played the piano like damn Mozart's reincarnation, he was off limits. _Off. Limits._ Kageyama just needed to keep a check on himself to make sure he didn't get himself into trouble.

But that seemed to be very hard to do, especially considering their note from class was still folded up in his pocket.

* * *

 **A/N:** Yay, two chapters in one day ;-; I've done the impossible. I just started listening to a classical music playlist and got super inspired and started spitting out words like a lottery machine...

Anyway, the song performed in this chapters (there are sort of 2) would be Chopin's Nocturne, either the piano version (Op. 9 No. 2) or the piano/cello duet version minus the piano (Nocturne in C Sharp Minor). Once again, feel free to leave corrections in the review section, follow/fav the story if you're enjoying the content, and I'll see you all next time ;)


	4. Cello Suite No 1

**Chapter Four**

 **-❤- Cello Suite No. 1 -❤-**

* * *

Kageyama fell asleep several times in class over the next few days, most likely because he stayed up an extra hour every night ordering himself to avoid Hinata, only to see him and get pulled into inevitable conversation. It was a vicious cycle, and it made Kageyama feel dumb, like he possessed no free will whatsoever. Even his violin was beginning to fail at being a suitable distraction. Every time he played a piece, he could faintly hear a piano accompanying him in the background; the ghost of a possibility.

Now he was sitting in the back of his composition classroom staring daggers at the back of Hinata's head and telling himself over and over again to _get over it_. This was a competitive program: he couldn't let himself get caught up in friendships or _feelings_. He'd sworn to himself he'd get through this year with perfect grades and a secured future, and falling in love was implausible; it just... didn't fit with the plan.

Love had never been understandable to Kageyama in the first place. He understood the love between him and his parents, but romantically, love was like a jigsaw puzzle: only he wasn't a piece, but an empty board, and everyone else around him fit into the wrong puzzle. But out of nowhere, this silent redheaded miracle appeared and changed everything. Irritating, interesting, endearing, _confounding_. And he wasn't a puzzle, but the pieces; _all of them_.

How could one person be _all_ the pieces? It didn't make any sense...

Plus, the duet: Kageyama felt a bit childish for ignoring Hinata just for suggesting it. It wasn't like he could possibly know that the words were loaded. He would've loved to seize the opportunity to play with such a fantastic pianist, but even thinking of it, a ball of anxiety welled up in Kageyama's chest. There had been too many failed attempts: he just couldn't bear another, especially with _Hinata_ to bear witness. He couldn't handle another blow to his self confidence; not if he wanted to become a famous violinist.

A slight trembling of the fingertips could ruin a song's melody; a moment of hesitation could kill a career before it even started. Kageyama wouldn't let himself be a wasted opportunity, some washed up hopeful who couldn't stomach the stress of competition... Although, he envied how Hinata played so freely. He wasn't afraid to take a song and make it his own: something Kageyama could only dream of doing.

But the more he thought like that, the harder it was to keep Hinata out of his mind. Kageyama forced himself to stare down at his paper instead of the back of his head, but his fingers tapped an anxious rhythm against his kneecaps in harmony with the racing heartbeat pounding in his ears. It was going to be much harder to avoid this than he'd thought...

Plus, he still had the stupid note balled up in the violin case at his feet.

* * *

After classes, Kageyama wandered the halls anxiously, unwilling to return to his room but too unsettled to stay still, resulting in a fit of boundless pacing. He'd trekked down the same hallway so many times, he'd memorized the imperfections in the marble of each pillar and the scuffs on the polished wood floor. If he didn't stop soon, he'd probably wear a straight line in the ground.

But Kageyama still couldn't bring himself to stand still, so he switched hallways. He was beginning to memorize this one too when the faint sound of piano music caught his ear. It led him back down the hallway he'd hidden in on his first day to a familiar, almost-closed door. As Kageyama leaned against the frame and gently nudged it open with his toe, Bach's Cello Suite filled the hall.

Hinata sat straight-backed at the piano, head tilted forward with a smile on his face as his fingers danced across the keys, sun from the open window rendering his hair as bright as a real fire. Kageyama leaned closer as he reached the midpoint of the song, playing like he always did, changing the melody into something completely different and unique. No matter how much he urged himself to walk back down the hallway, Kageyama couldn't tear himself away from the music.

As the last notes of the sound resonated through the air, Hinata turned towards him and his smile widened. His hands moved and Kageyama's partial study from the last few days allowed him to understand enough to assume what he'd said. _So, how long are you going to stand there?_

Too late to run away, he pushed the door open the rest of the way and ducked into the room sheepishly, signing one word he had definitely thought he'd need to know. _Sorry._

Hinata beamed, clapping his hands together lightly. _Better!_ he mouthed appreciatively, patting the space beside him in invitation.

With a heavy sigh of defeat, Kageyama sunk onto the piano bench, setting his bag and violin case on the ground and retrieving a notebook for easier conversation. _ **Sorry. I wasn't trying to eavesdrop on you.**_

The redhead took the pen and paper from him when he offered it. ** _It's okay. Did you change your mind about playing with me?_**

"No, no, _no_." Kageyama shook his head and turned back to the paper when he remembered Hinata couldn't hear him. ** _I just heard you playing while I was passing by. I still can't do a duet._**

 _ **Can't? Why not?**_ Hinata passed him the pad and with an expectant stare.

Ugh. This was _already_ impossible. How could he lie with such an innocent, patient pair of eyes looking at him like that? This was so unfair... _but_ he tried his best anyway. **_I'm just really not used to it. I don't think it's a good idea._**

This time Hinata full-out pouted—and combined with the puppy-dog eyes, it was really starting to wear Kageyama down. How he learned to make that heart-stopping expression was yet another mystery. **_But you can always keep trying, right? What songs do you know?_** he persisted.

Kageyama inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for several seconds. Seriously, this was _ridiculous_. Nobody had made him budge on his firm refusal to do an accompaniment in years, but after a few minutes, Hinata had already worn a hole through his defenses. He... might as well try, right? Maybe this time would be different, and besides; Hinata would probably be accepting even if he _did_ fail...

With a relenting sigh, Kageyama dropped the pad placatingly and signed, _Okay,_ which earned another too-big smile from Hinata. As he opened his violin case, Kageyama's fingers trembled and he drew in a shaky breath, running his fingertips lightly over each string in an effort to calm himself down. _This isn't a big deal. Not a big deal at all._ He repeated the words to himself over and over again as he stood, retrieving his bow.

Hinata held up the notebook and pointed at what he'd written there. _ **Cello Suite No. 1, what I was playing earlier: Can you play it?**_

He nodded sharply, which appeared to be the only assurance Hinata needed. Closing the notebook, he turned back to the piano, back straightening as his fingers settled comfortably on the keys. Kageyama closed his eyes and placed the bow against the strings, the smooth wood familiar in his hand. As Hinata played the first few notes, the bow slid across the strings in response, releasing a low note that synced up with its piano counterpart as Kageyama's fingers moved quicker.

He'd never played like this before. Instead of singular notes like what he was used to, it was like a whole orchestra. The sound was louder, clearer; brighter. Instead of struggling to find the rhythm, it was like he was being pulled along by it: fingers never hesitating, melody unwavering. The empty spaces between each note were filled by Hinata's steady, comforting piano.

There was only word for this: he was playing a _duet_ , a _real_ one.

As the word filtered through his mind, a sharp sound cut through Kageyama's head: a broken C sharp, an indignant laugh, a silent, echoing auditorium. It felt like a spotlight hitting him all over again, hundreds of pitying eyes sending him spiraling back into a pit of darkness and doubt.

Kageyama's fingers jerked, breaking the streak of brilliant sound and rendering it dissonant. His hand twitched and then stilled altogether as a familiar feeling of dread settled against his chest, like a crushing weight strangling the air out of his lungs. His arms shook as the violin became too heavy in his hands, the bow suddenly a foreign object.

The piano notes tapered off as Hinata turned to him questioningly, somehow sensing his absence.

Kageyama couldn't look at him, bending to replace his violin in its case and slamming it closed. "This was a mistake. I've... got to go now." He gathered his stuff without waiting for Hinata's reaction and crashed through the music room doors out into the corridor. He broke into a run, the hallway blurring past until he could go no further and sank against a column, burying his face in his hands.

 _So much for a duet._

* * *

When he got back to his room, Kageyama collapsed face-first on his bed with a long groan of defeat. His violin case lay discarded on the floor on the other side of the room and he couldn't bring himself to look at it. That had been an utter _disaster_. And now Hinata probably thought he was a freak for running off like that with no explanation.

Stupid, stupid, _stupid_. He'd been so close... but just like every other time, his past came back to haunt him. How long did he have to wait until the memories would fade? Until his self doubt would disappear and he would finally be free to move on? All Kageyama wanted was to play the violin: to use his father's last gift to him to create something beautiful. But _how_ could he do that when he was constantly plagued by terrible memories?

Before Kageyama could bury his head further in the pillow and suffocate himself, his phone rang. He turned his face to the left to breathe and stared blearily at the screen: his mother. With a long sigh, he flipped into an upright position and accepted the call. "Hello?"

"Tobio, hey! How are things?" She didn't give him a chance to respond. "How are your classes? Are your teachers nice? And are the courses challenging? You're not overworking yourself, are you? Did you make any friends yet? And how about the—"

"Slow _down_ ," Kageyama grumbled, interrupting her frantic slew of questions. "My classes are fine, teachers are fine, courses aren't very hard, I'm not overworking myself, and I..." He paused; grimaced. "I... sort of have _one_ friend. But I think I might have scared him off..."

"Scared him off?" she prompted without pause. "Elaborate, please."

"Well..." Kageyama sighed again, flipping onto his stomach. "It's the same story as always. At least, sort of." He blew hair out of his face irritably. "I thought it was the same, but now I think it's different, but I _really_ tried this time and I thought it was going to work and—it didn't. I actually even started _playing_ , but then it all went south."

Somehow making sense of his rush of confusing speech, his mother hummed thoughtfully. "Well, just try explaining things to him. I'm sure if he wants to be friends with you, he's _leagues_ above others in understanding."

"Gee, thanks," Kageyama said acridly. "I mean, I would be all for that, but whenever he's around it's all... _gwah_."

"So... he's your _friend_ , but you don't _like_ him?" Her voice turned singsong. "Or maybe you like him _too_ much~ How cute! Practically your first real friend: _awww_!"

"Okay, this conversation is _over_." He rolled his eyes back in his head so far, he could almost see his brain. "Bye. I'll call you again next week."

" _Byeee_ , sweetie! Don't forgot to talk to your frie—" Kageyama hung up before she could finish, groaning and throwing his phone across the mattress. He loved his mom, but sometimes—ahem, _most of the time_ —she was a little too much to handle. Plus, she was honest to a fault: almost to the point of being rude. Then again, he was the same way...

" _Ugh_." He buried his face in the pillow again and let out a half-groan, half-sigh. "Stupid past, stupid emotions, stupid dumbass Hinata. Why can't I just keep playing like I am? Why are duets so important, anyway?" Kageyama rolled onto his side and tucked his knees into his chest. "Why does everything have to be so _complicated_?"

Sometimes, he wished he could just close his eyes and forget about everything. Sometimes... he wished he'd never picked up violin in the first place.

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm back to updating so here's another chapter. The song featured this time is Bach's Cello Suite No. 1, which, while not traditionally for piano or violin, can be played in both if you look it up on YouTube.

Hope you guys liked the chapter and look forward to another one soon ^-^


	5. Vocalise

**Chapter Five**

 **-❤- Vocalise -❤-**

* * *

Kageyama stood in the middle of an empty music room, violin to his shoulder as he filled the space with slow, mournful notes that seemed to drop down around him like rainfall. Rachmaninoff's Vocalise was one of his favorite pieces, not only because the level of emotion required to play it was challenging, but because it had been his mother's favorite piece, and his father used to play it for her whenever he could.

The music was soothing; familiar in a way nothing else was at this new school. The way his bow moved against the strings was almost effortless from the amount of times he'd performed it, and the song covered him in feelings of warmth and safety. He closed his eyes as he reached the apex, slowing down to fully absorb each falling note.

This was the song he played best. It was almost enough to make him cry, like Hinata's playing always did. The last few notes felt like saying goodbye, and the bitter-sweetness made it much easier to achieve the full level of emotion required for the piece. The music swelled in its dying breaths, and Kageyama arced the bow, finishing with a gentle flourish.

For a moment, he listened to the resonating silence, eyes closed, before quiet clapping echoed in his ears. He whipped around, lowering his violin, to find Hinata resting in the doorway, a smile on his face. He pushed himself past the threshold, signing a greeting. Kageyama was impressed by how much of it he understood. _Hey! Sorry, I was walking by when I heard you playing._

He raised a brow, signing back with surprising ease. _Heard me?_

Hinata laughed silently, coming to a stop close to him and reaching into his bag for a notebook, flipping it open to a blank page. _**I should say, I felt you playing. It's kinda hard to explain.**_

Kageyama took the pad from him, reading over his sentence in confusion. _**Felt? What, like vibrations or something?**_

For a moment, Hinata paused, marker wavering over the paper. _**In a sense.** **I got really sick when I was a kid, which is how I lost my hearing. I was really upset, because I thought I wouldn't be able to play music anymore, but somehow, I could feel the notes. To me, it's almost like... raindrops in the sand. You can't hear the rain against it, but the sand is still wet underneath your feet.**_

"Huh." Kageyama frowned at the paper, still a bit confused. He dropped the pad and signed instead. _I think I sort of get it... I thought it was weird, how you could play without hearing._

Hinata's mouth made a silent 'oh' as he signed back, _Hey, you're getting pretty good!_

"I've been practicing," Kageyama told him aloud, flushing slightly. _Oops... I mean, I've been practicing._ For some reason, he felt embarrassed admitting it, out loud or otherwise. Wasn't it pretty weird, to learn a whole other language just for conversations with a practical stranger?

But Hinata's smile made it worth it as he brought his hands to the corners of his mouth, wiggling them upwards: laughter. _It's good, just like your playing. It was Vocalise, right?_

 _Yeah..._ Kageyama scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. He really felt like he should apologize for what happened the previous day; running off with no explanation like that. He grimaced remembering his mother's advice on the subject. Just _explain_ things: that wasn't so hard, was it?

 _You're making a weird face,_ Hinata told him, flashing an unflattering impersonation. _What's wrong? Does it... have something to do with yesterday?_

The sad expression on his face made Kageyama want to smack his head against a wall. His face really wasn't made for that dejected look. _About yesterday..._ he began hesitantly, before he could chicken out, _I'm really sorry for leaving like that. It's just... something happened in the past, and because of it... I haven't been able to do a duet._

Hinata brightened. _So... it wasn't something I did?_

"No, no, it wasn't you!" Kageyama cursed. "Damn... I forgot."

 _You're funny,_ Hinata commented, hiding a smile behind his hand. _But I'm sorry about whatever happened. I thought you were doing pretty good._

Gah. Kageyama could just tell he was blushing like a tomato. Stupid feelings. _Thanks. It wasn't really... as bad as the other times I've tried. I think it's more fun listening to you, though._

He nearly slapped himself after his fingers stilled, screaming inwardly. _Oh god, Tobio, why the_ fuck _would you say that?! Please, God, just kill me now..._

But Hinata's face unexpectedly blossomed red—a full blush that reached his ears—and Kageyama nearly had a heart-attack as he watched him struggle to sign. _Well, I'm not that good... But I think— I think you play really well, too!_

They both stared anywhere but at each other, until the school bell chimed loudly from the hall, making Kageyama jump. "A-ah, the bell... It's time for lunch." He glanced from Hinata to his violin case to the door and back, clearing his throat uncomfortably, even though he didn't have to speak. _So.. do you maybe want to... eat together?_

Hinata didn't seem to be looking at him, however, and was, instead, staring at the ground rather fixedly, murmuring soundlessly to himself. Kageyama, biting back his mortification, was contemplating tapping his shoulder when his eyes suddenly shot up again, and he stared at him with unnerving intensity. _Kageyama, I have an idea!_

 _What are you talking about—_ He stopped mid-sign as Hinata turned on his heel and disappeared into the hallway without another word, leaving him standing there, dumbfounded.

Well... he guessed he knew how Hinata felt, now.

* * *

Kageyama didn't see Hinata again until much later that evening, when he appeared at his table at dinner toting a fat folder and collapsed across from him soundlessly. Kageyama raised an eyebrow at him without saying anything, finishing his forkful of pasta as the redhead beamed at him like a mini sun.

 _So... where did you disappear to?_ he signed once he'd finished, and Hinata, as if waiting for the question, slammed his hands on the table excitedly, making him jump.

 _I thought you'd never ask!_ He dragged the heavy folder to the center of the table and opened it up, revealing dozens of leaflets of sheet music. His eyes shone as he pulled out several of them, spreading them out on the table until no space was left uncovered. _I think I can solve your duet problem!_

 _What?_ Kageyama shook his head at him quickly. _No. I thought you understood that I can't._

Hinata shot him an exasperated look. _But I think you can, though._ He showed him several of the music sheets. _Just look: I found all of these songs with easy rhythms._ _If you just play them by yourself, and I join in in the middle, then maybe you won't even notice, and you can—_

 _No!_ Kageyama interrupted sternly, grabbing his hands. _I told you already; I don't want to!_

Hinata glared at him. _But you're being crazy!_ he mouthed insistently, pulling his hands free. _You were so close before! Don't you want to keep trying?_

 _No, I really don't!_ Kageyama pushed himself away from the table and slung his bag over his shoulder angrily, ignoring Hinata's words as he dumped his tray. The redhead tried to follow him, struggling to gather up all his papers, but Kageyama glared at him harshly. _Don't follow me! I don't want to see you. Just... go away!_

He pushed through the cafeteria doors and stormed down the hallway, glaring at the floor and clenching his fists. So much for explaining things. Somehow, something like this always happened whenever he tried to apologize to someone. His anger always got blown out of proportion, and even picturing Hinata's wounded expression, he still couldn't cool down enough to turn around and make amends.

But why did the idiot _care_ so much?! They barely knew each other, and yet that dumbass wouldn't quit trying to _help_ him. _Dammit_. Kageyama should've just stayed away from him like he'd said he would. After what he'd just done, the boy would probably never forgive him, anyway.

 _I don't want to see you. Just... go away!_

He cringed reliving the harsh words, coming to a stop beside one of the marble pillars. He slammed his fist against it, splitting open his knuckles, and rested his forehead against the cold stone with a curse. _Dammit..._ He exhaled a tense breath and stared up at the ceiling searchingly. _Dad... tell me, what am I supposed to do?_

* * *

In his bedroom later that night, Kageyama stared at his composition homework glaringly. He couldn't seem to find the will to do it, no matter how long he held his pencil to the paper. He couldn't stop thinking about what he'd said to Hinata earlier, or the hurt look on his face as he walked away.

How could he make it up to him?

Could he write a note and leave it for him? But that was so elementary school... not to mention he had no idea where Hinata's dorm room was. Maybe he could leave it in the music room he always practiced in? But what if a teacher or another student found it? He'd rather go without further humiliation...

Maybe he'd just have to man up and apologize in person... although he wasn't sure if Hinata would even acknowledge him after what happened. He honestly had every right to ignore him, but there was no other way Kageyama could think of. Should he just... give in to trying a duet? Or perform a song for him in apology?

Kageyama clicked his tongue in annoyance, discarding his pencil and running his hands through his hair. Why was apologizing so _hard_? No wonder he didn't have any friends.

" _Gah_." Kageyama pushed himself away from his desk and wandered over to the window. It had begun sprinkling, thunder rumbling gently in the distance, warning of a worse storm approaching. The sun would set soon, though it was hidden away behind thick gray rain clouds.

 _God_ , he was being stupid. He needed to just... go up to him and _apologize_. It wasn't rocket science. He had to swallow his stupid pride and just... _do_ _it_. His one and only friend, and he'd already managed to chase them off. It almost physically hurt to think of Hinata's expression when he'd walked away.

He needed to fix this ASAP. Kageyama would've gone right then, if it wasn't so late... and if he knew where Hinata's room was. He really needed to ask him as soon as they were on speaking terms again. They still knew almost nothing about one another... Kageyama had been surprised when Hinata opened up about how he lost his hearing before.

It left him wondering about Hinata's strange analogy: raindrops in the sand. It certainly was an interesting concept. And while Hinata couldn't speak, the way he played music... the two of them definitely didn't have a language barrier. He really was something special.

See, why couldn't Kageyama tell him something like _that_? If only he didn't get so clumsy and tongue-tied whenever that dumbass was around... He felt like such an _idiot_. If he told his mom about this whole thing, he'd never hear the end of it. She'd tell him he was being childish, and she would be right.

Kageyama sighed irritably and crossed over to his bed, retrieving his violin from underneath, finding solace in the familiar way it fit into his palm. He always thought more clearly while playing: The music filtered out everything unnecessary.

Placing the bow against the strings carefully, Kageyama released a tense breath and closed his eyes, striking up the beginning notes of Vocalise once again. However, for once, the song failed to comfort him. He could hear angry piano notes in the background, ruining his rhythm, making the song faster and more urgent. It felt like he was chasing the notes, breaking the symphony in half.

He kept playing, faster and faster, in frustration. This was his music, but Hinata's sound wouldn't leave his head. The ghostly accompaniment plagued him to the very last notes of the song, where the gentle goodbye turned into a slamming door, the strings nearly snapping as Kageyama tore the bow free.

No matter what he did, he really couldn't escape him. Whether it was in solitude, sadness, or anger, the piano notes resonated in Kageyama's mind, no matter when or what he played. Loud and fast, or slow and beautiful, they lingered in the background.

If he wasn't careful, Hinata Shōyō really would be the end of him.

* * *

 **A/N:** Next chapter completed, and this chapter's music piece would be Rachmaninoff's Vocalise for Violin. (You can also listen to a combined piano/violin version.) Anyway, hope you all liked the chapter, and remember to follow/favorite if you want more, and leave any comments/corrections down in the review section ^-^


	6. La Cygne

**Chapter Six**

 **-❤- La Cygne -❤-**

* * *

Kageyama approached Hinata after Composition ended, as he was gathering his things and unable to run away. He had a note pre-written, and his original plan had been to slip it in his bag, but his stupid conscious wouldn't accept anything but a face-to-face apology. He'd gone over and over what he was going to say, but was still sweating bullets as he tapped Hinata on the shoulder gently.

The redhead jumped, whipping around with a terrified expression. It morphed into a scowl as he realized it was Kageyama, and he turned his back on him without an ounce of acknowledgment. He packed up the rest of his things, ignoring Kageyama's further attempts at conversation, and lost him in the crowd leaving the classroom, disappearing into the hall.

Although he'd been expecting it, Kageyama still felt disappointed, cursing as he returned to his desk to retrieve his things. What a pain... He hadn't even been able to slip him the note. He contemplated his next move as he slung his bag over his shoulder, waving to the teacher on his way out.

Maybe he could lurk around the music room until Hinata showed up? But that was desperate, and a little creepy... But, then _what_? This shouldn't have been so _hard_. While he may have been a musical prodigy, Kageyama really had no idea how to deal with scenarios like this. Hinata definitely wasn't making it any easier for him, either.

Through all of the rest of their classes they had together, the redhead kept pretending he didn't exist, brushing off all of his attempts at conversation. By the time lunch came, Kageyama was ready to smash a music stand over his head as he sat alone, chugging a glass of milk furiously.

He'd been wracking his brain nonstop all day, but all of his ideas were half-formed and stupid. It was much harder arguing with a deaf person, who could _literally_ tune you out entirely. How was Kageyama supposed to get anywhere when he was basically up against a brick wall? He _really_ needed to find out where his room was so he could leave notes there...

Kageyama was so deep in thought, he didn't notice the sound of music, at first. It didn't immediately grab his attention like Hinata's did, but his subconscious eventually noticed it nevertheless, and he looked up to find that a pair of girls was performing on the cafeteria's little stage. He usually ate in his room, or skipped lunch entirely, so Kageyama had forgotten they usually had live performances by the students.

Today's volunteers were a harp/cellist pair: a pretty, sophisticated-looking dark-haired girl and her shorter, bubblier blonde companion. Kageyama faintly recalled hearing his classmates gossiping about them: the third year Comp majors, Shimizu Kiyoko and Yachi Hitoka.

Kageyama didn't recognize the song they were playing, so it must've been an original. It was pretty good, and he had to give them props for the temporization: it was excellent for students, even advanced ones. But even without the great mechanics, there was something about the way they played _together_ that drew his eye.

It was almost effortless; the elegant way they harmonized and played into each other's pauses. These two were practically the poster children for a fantastic duet.

Wait... 'The poster children for a fantastic duet'? That gave him an idea...

* * *

As soon as the girls finished their composition and packed away their instruments, Kageyama cut across the cafeteria floor, scooting around the others praising their work, and tapped the blonde on the shoulder before she could get away from him. "Excuse me, but, um... I have a question for you."

The girl smiled cheerfully, brushing hair behind her ear as she turned to face him. "Sure! What is it?"

Slightly surprised by her impeccable politeness—and intimidated by her dark-haired partner staring at him intensely from behind her—Kageyama took a half step back and cleared his throat. "Ah, well... I— I was just wondering, do you have any advice for... people who are new to duets?"

"Oh, yeah, of course!" The girl seemed genuinely excited about his question, taking his hand and shaking it firmly. "I'm Yachi Hitoka, by the way! I don't think I've seen you before. Are you a first year?"

"N-no, ah... I'm Kageyama Tobio. I just transferred here, but... I'm actually a third year," he answered, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I just... haven't really done many accompaniments, so I was curious..."

The dark-haired girl—Shimizu Kiyoko, Kageyama gathered—joined the conversation then, standing close by Yachi's shoulder, almost protectively. "What type of accompaniment were you thinking? It really depends on the type of instrument. Cello, flute, viola, bass?"

He looked down uncomfortably, fighting back a flush. "Well, I was actually thinking... p-piano..."

"Oh, that's a good one!" Yachi chimed back in brightly. "Well, you'd want to start off with an easier piece, and find someone who's already fairly experienced with matching to violinists; that would be my advice—for your very first time, at least." She peered up at him curiously. "Did you already have a pianist in mind?"

Kageyama couldn't help but blush after that, looking down at the floor with a tiny nod. "Y-yeah... but I'm not sure they're very experienced with duets, either..."

"Then you should find a duet pair to tutor you," Shimizu interjected coolly. "I would highly suggest Sugawara Kōshi and Sawamura Daichi: They're an experienced violin-piano pair. You can usually find them over in the Music Theory or Choral Conducting classroom."

"Th-thank you very much!" Kageyama bowed quickly to the two girls, hearing Yachi giggle at the formality. He turned to gather his things, jogging out of the cafeteria and towards the music studies classrooms. He realized halfway there that he probably should've made up with Hinata before finding them teachers and paused, thrown back in the previous issue of how he was going to apologize.

He just needed to man up and do it. This was the time for action! Once he told Hinata he was willing to try a duet again, Kageyama was sure he would forgive him... _hopefully_.

* * *

Kageyama wandered down the hall, biting his lip and peering into every classroom along the way for a sign of red hair. He had about twenty more minutes before lunch ended, and since Hinata wasn't in the cafeteria, that left him to scour the corridors until he found him—although, he already had a sneaking suspicion about where he was hiding.

As he suspected, the music room's door was left cracked open: Hinata _really_ sucked at closing doors all the way.

But instead of piano music filtering into the hallway like usual, there was only the quiet sound of papers rustling. When Kageyama peered through the door with a frown, he could see Hinata on the floor, picking up ripped pieces of paper that he faintly recognized as the sheet music from the previous day.

As he pushed open the door, for once, the redhead didn't turn around to look at him, seemingly absorbed in the task of collecting the music. But... why was it all ripped up like that? Hinata hadn't done that, had he?

Kageyama inched past the door carefully and nudged it closed behind him, approaching the redhead hesitantly. He still hadn't noticed him, placing a sheet of paper in the stack tucked against his chest and reaching up to wipe at his face—with a jolt, Kageyama realized he was crying.

"H-hey!" he exclaimed, forgetting Hinata couldn't hear him as he knelt down beside him, startling him so much, he dropped the stack in his arms, sending scraps flying everywhere. As he finally looked up at him, Kageyama could see that Hinata's eyes were puffy and red, and his face was completely soaked in tears.

"Hinata, what... what happened?" Kageyama reached out to touch his shoulder, but Hinata flinched, turning away quickly and scrubbing at his face with his sleeves.

 _I—_ _I'm fine,_ he signed with trembling fingers, scrambling to pick up the dropped papers. _You should really go. I need to pick all of these up, so—_

" _Hinata_." Kageyama grabbed his hands, lowering his head so their gazes locked. He enunciated his words carefully to make sure he understood them. " _What. Happened?_ "

When he refused to look away, Hinata's calm facade crumbled and he burst out crying, silent sobs shaking his shoulders as he collapsed forward against Kageyama's shoulder. He hugged him without thinking, trying not to freak out. "A-ah, what should— what should I do? Hinata? What happened? Can I... d-do anything?"

The boy pulled away from him, keeping one hand twisted around the fabric of his uniform as he wiped his eyes, struggling to breathe. _Happens a lot,_ he signed clumsily, exhaling shakily. I left my folder— I shouldn't have forgotten— they ripped up all the music.

He began crying again, hugging his knees to his chest. Kageyama got up to retrieve a box of tissues for him, holding his hand as he blew his nose loudly. _Who?_ he signed, fingers shaking from anger. Who on earth would pick on such a good guy, and a deaf one, at that? _Tell me who did it._

Hinata quickly shook his head, eyes wide. _No! I can— I've been dealing with it— Don't do anything!_ He struggled to form a single coherent sentence, squeezing Kageyama's hand urgently. He calmed him by resting a hand on his head, which seemed to startle the smaller boy into silence.

 _Wait._ He took a clean tissue and wiped off his face before anything else, trying not to think about how embarrassing their positions were. Good thing he remembered everything his mom had done to help him when he was in similar situations. Kageyama knew he needed to calm him down before he had a panic attack, so he finished cleaning him up and helped Hinata stand up, seating him on the piano bench.

He picked up the rest of the papers quickly and deposited them in the recycling bin before he was satisfied enough to sit down beside Hinata again, who seemed much calmer now. He signed a weak 'Thanks,' to Kageyama, but he wouldn't meet his eyes, twisting his fingers together and staring at his lap.

 _Look... I won't do anything, alright?_ Kageyama told him with a sigh. _I promise._

Hinata finally glanced up at him, but he didn't smile. _Thanks..._

* * *

For a long time, they sat there in tense silence, until Kageyama eventually got tired of listening to the rain, unable to hold back his questions anymore. _So... how long has this been happening, exactly?_ He was a little afraid of the answer. Just asking made him want to kick something.

Hinata hesitated for a long moment before answering, mouth twisting into a pained grimace. _For... a while._

Dammit. Now he _really_ wanted to break something. But instead, Kageyama took a measured breath and relaxed his fists. Before anything else, he really needed to apologize. _I'm... really sorry for what I said yesterday. I didn't mean any of it. I shouldn't have taken out my anxiety on you._

The hint of a smile crossed Hinata's lips, which was more relieving than anything he could've said. _I'm sorry, too. I knew you wanted to apologize, but I still gave you a hard time._ He looked at him with a hopeful expression. _Can we... make up? I really want to be friends with you._

Kageyama felt his heart squeeze painfully and bit back a stupid smile. _Me, too. I did learn sign language just to talk to you, after all._

Hinata let out a silent laugh. _I thought so! You're a really interesting person, aren't you, Kageyama?_

 _Look who's talking._

They smiled at each other, and Kageyama felt a warm feeling begin to bloom in his chest. _You know, I decided I want to try a duet again... but only if you'll agree to do it with me._

Hinata grinned, brightening up noticeably. He sure did bounce back fast. _Are you kidding?! Of course I will! What song did you pick?_

"Ah..." Kageyama faltered. He totally hadn't had time to think about that at all... He'd been so relieved at being forgiven, he'd just spit it out without thinking.

As if he read his mind, Hinata snorted silently into his hand. _Geez... you don't even have one prepared, do you?_

 _Don't laugh, stupid,_ Kageyama scolded irritably, whacking him on the back of the head with a blush. He wouldn't survive another day around this dumbass at this rate. _We can figure it out together... right?_

For a second, Hinata looked shocked, but then he smiled, even bigger and brighter than before, setting Kageyama's chest on fire. _Right!_

* * *

 **A/N:** The feels is reals. I feel a bit bad... but there's also fluffiness, so forgive me! The piece focused on in this chapter (although not expressly mentioned) would be "Le Cygne" (or "The Swan") by Saint-Saëns, a harp/cello duet.


	7. Canon in D

**Chapter Seven**

 **-❤- Canon in D -❤-**

* * *

 _Alright... just bear with me here._ Kageyama stood in the music room across from Hinata, holding his violin under his arm nervously. He studied the sheet music in his hand for the millionth time, memorizing the notes. He hadn't been able to find a stand, so this was the next best thing.

Hinata nodded at him from the piano, playing a light, cheerful trill. They'd decided on Canon in D for their first practice run, since both of them had played it before. Kageyama wasn't overly familiar with it, but it seemed easy enough—he had tried to take Yachi's advice to heart and pick a simple piece. Hinata, however, seemed to have it memorized already, playing tiny bits of other songs as he waited for him to finish.

He'd always been called a prodigy, but now, Kageyama was beginning to doubt whether or not he truly deserved the title. Hinata wasn't really often talked about or particularly envied, but that was because he had an odd ability to reflect attention off of himself. If Kageyama hadn't heard his playing on his very first day, he probably never would've noticed him... and yet, he deserved the most attention out of anyone there.

Even watching him now, playing cheerful little notes with a smile on his face, Kageyama didn't want to look away. But he couldn't stare forever, so he focused on the sheet music for a few more minutes, instead, before tossing it aside and signalling Hinata. _Okay, I think I'm ready. You can start now._

The redhead shot him a thumbs up and turned his full attention to the piano, releasing a quiet breath before he closed his eyes and slowly began to play. Kageyama could feel himself already overthinking as the first chords sounded, so he tried to follow Hinata's lead and closed his eyes, taking deep breaths and focusing on the music notes.

It was effortlessly beautiful, just kike everything Hinata played. Instead of the ghost of his music lingering in the shadow of his own, Kageyama could imagine himself playing along, instead; the soft violin mingling with the piano in an achingly perfect symphony, like two figures in a sweeping dance across a ballroom floor.

But he wasn't imagining it this time: His fingers were really moving, arcing the bow just so at every pause and fluctuation. He was really creating this sound— _no_ ; he and Hinata were, _together_. They were in perfect harmony. Their notes didn't chase or follow each other, but held hands and carried one another through the twists and turns of the song like dear friends.

Kageyama didn't dare to open his eyes, afraid of breaking the magic. Only when the very last piano note hit his ears did he finally awaken from the captivating dream, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding as his arm fell back to his side, the violin strings still faintly resonating, not wanting their song to end.

For a moment, Kageyama stared at the bow in his hand in shocked silence, fingers trembling and heart hammering in his ears. He flexed them once, gently; feeling the smooth wood against his fingers, reminding him he was in the present, and not a fantasy.

 _I did it... I finally did it. That was me—no; Hinata and I, both..._

 _We did a real duet._

When Kageyama finally recovered enough to look up, Hinata was staring at him expectantly, wearing a stupidly gleeful grin on his face. _So,_ he signed breezily, _does this make me ultra-special? Since I unlocked your first duet?_

"Dumbass..." Kageyama flushed, fingers cinching around his violin bow so he wouldn't smack Hinata with it, magic ushered away by embarrassment. "Don't say it like that!"

"Sorry to interrupt here, but I just heard you two playing."

* * *

Kageyama jumped, nearly dropping his violin as he whirled around, discovering a teacher loitering in the doorway. He'd approached so quietly, Kageyama hadn't noticed him at all, and only now did he take the liberty of stepping fully into the room with a sheepish smile, pushing up his blue-rimmed glasses. "Sorry... I don't mean to intrude. I'm Takeda Ittetsu."

"Th-that's fine..." Kageyama coughed awkwardly, clearing the shocked expression off his face—and ignoring Hinata's amused smile at his discomposure. "Uh... did you need something, sensei?"

"I just thought you two were really good, so I— I thought I would suggest this— oh, ah, wait a moment..." He dug around in his ostensibly cluttered briefcase, muttering quietly to himself while Kageyama and Hinata shared a perplexed look. For a teacher, this guy acted pretty strangely.

"Ah, h-here it is!" Takeda finally retrieved a crumpled flyer from the depths of the bag, brandishing it with a relieved exhalation. He smoothed out the corners—as if that would help—before handing it over to Kageyama breathlessly. "It's a flyer for a musical competition going on soon. Since our school doesn't have many duet pairs, I've been searching for new ones to compete."

"We're not... _really_ a duet pair," Kageyama answered slowly, glancing over the paper nevertheless. Just as he'd said, it was an advertisement for a musical showcase featuring duet pairs that would be coming up in January; four pairs required per school to qualify. Seemed pretty straight-forward.

When Hinata stood from the bench and tugged on his sleeve a moment later, Kageyama handed it over to him compliantly and turned back to Takeda. "I'm sorry, but... I don't think we'll be able to help you."

"Please!" the man begged, startling Kageyama as he dipped into a bow so low, his forehead almost smacked against the ground. (He _really_ didn't act like a teacher at all.) "You'd _seriously_ be doing me a favor! Our school needs at least four pairs to qualify, and we only need one more! I really don't want to disappoint the others!"

Before Kageyama could turn him down again, Hinata tugged on his sleeve once more and handed back the wrinkled flyer. He started to sign excitedly, but seemed to realize halfway through the third word that the teacher wouldn't understand. Impatient, he pointed from himself to Kageyama, and then Takeda.

The teacher seemed lost, but Kageyama nodded in understanding, discarding the flyer to free up his hands. "He's deaf," he explained to Takeda. "I'll translate for him."

Hinata nodded in satisfaction. _Okay, so it's true that we haven't been playing together for long... but if there's not a deadline for entry, we'd like to give it a shot! That is, if you take novices? And we'd work suuuper hard, of course! It's still months away, after all, so I think that's plenty of time. Only if that's all okay, though!_

Kageyama translated all of his hurried speech without delay before he added anything of his own. "He's right: in fact, this is our _first ever time_ playing together"—he shot a glare Hinata's way—"and I _really_ don't know if a competition would be the best idea with people as inexperienced as—"

"All of that is totally fine!" Takeda interrupted, his excitement seemingly blocking out all of Kageyama's arguments. "You're _totally_ welcome to participate, no matter your skill level!" He had started backing out the door, continuously halting any words of rejection. "Keep the flyer! I'll put you on the list now, and you can come see me about the details closer to the contest!"

Before Kageyama could get a syllable in edgewise, the man was disappearing into the hall. "Okay, I've got a class right now! Byeee!"

After he was gone, Kageyama turned on Hinata with a glare, signing in tight, anxious jerks. _What the hell?! We can't join a contest! I barely did that just now, and you just went and—_ He threw up his hands in frustration, too irritated to finish the sentence as he paced a tense circle around the small room.

What was that dumbass even _thinking_?! He'd beat him up—but he'd feel too bad about it afterwards, which only left the option to pace and curse loudly, which Kageyama did with gusto.

Hinata stopped him by grabbing his sleeve again—and if _that_ stupid, adorable, endearing action couldn't defuse his anger, then nothing could. The redhead didn't seem particularly regretful of his decision as he gestured at the piano bench, but Kageyama couldn't stay mad at him when he was looking at him like _that_ , so he sighed and sat down roughly.

 _Alright, fine. I'm listening._

Beaming, Hinata let go of his jacket and sat down beside him, signing in calm, slow flourishes; no doubt meant to sedate him. _Think about it:_ _There's no better way to get you accustomed to playing duets! Besides, it's still months away: That's plenty of time to improve, right?_

Kageyama really couldn't argue with him _there_... And besides, hadn't he already been considering finding them a tutor, as Yachi and Shimizu had suggested? Of course, Hinata didn't know that... but still. He _did_ make some good points. And wouldn't it be beneficial to get some extra practice in? It wasn't like he was just saying yes to make Hinata happy or anything...

 _So? So?_ Hinata urged eagerly, nudging him with his foot. The big, stupid, hopeful smile on his face made Kageyama want to run in the opposite direction. He really was too weak when it came to things like this...

 _Okay... fine,_ he gave in, ignoring how happy Hinata's excited beaming made him. _I guess I'll... find us some teachers._

* * *

Kageyama approached the Music Theory classroom before dinner, feeling equal parts resignation and irritation. He still felt like he'd _lost_ somehow, giving in to this whole thing. Still, he needed to man up, so he swallowed his pride and slid through the doorway anyway.

There weren't many students there, but Kageyama had obtained Sawamura and Sugawara's seat numbers from a few other third years. He made his way up the rows slowly, staring at the numbers scrawled in sharpie on his wrist, and eventually stopped in front of a silver-haired boy scribbling in a notebook with headphones in. Beside him was another boy in much the same position, only reading a book instead of writing.

Kageyama hesitated a moment before tapping the first one on the shoulder, waiting until he'd taken out his earbuds to speak. "S-Sugawara Kōshi? That's you, right?"

"Yep, that's me." Sugawara looked up at him imploringly. "Can I help you with something?"

"I need... um, that is—" he faltered. "I'm looking for a... tutor?"

"Oh, sure!" Sugawara smiled kindly, which somehow managed to put him at ease instantly. "What subject do you need help with?" His dark-haired companion—Sawamura Daichi, Kageyama presumed—glanced over at them, but didn't discard his book to join the conversation.

"Um... not really a _school_ tutor, but a... a _musical_ tutor?" He had a hard time phrasing the words clearly. "What I mean is: I'm new to duets, and my friend and I are looking for someone to help us out. Yachi and Shimizu from Composition said you were in a violin/piano pair, so I came to ask..."

"Oh, I see," Sugawara hummed thoughtfully. "Well, I don't see why Daichi and I couldn't— Daichi?" He paused, realizing his companion wasn't listening, and nudged him roughly, dislodging one of his earbuds. "Daichi, pay attention, please."

"What?" Sawamura discarded his headphones entirely, rubbing his attacked shoulder with a wince. "Geez, don't hit me so hard... What's going on, exactly?"

"He wants us to help him and his friend with practicing piano/violin accompaniment."

Ah. So _that_ was how he could've phrased it. Oh well.

Kageyama bowed to both of them pleadingly. (No wonder everyone thought he was an underclassman...) "I would greatly appreciate the help!"

"Oh, no need for that!" Sugawara assured laughingly. "We'll do it! Just meet us back here tomorrow at four o'clock. We'll get started from there, okay?"

"Yes! Thank you very much!"

Trying not to sprint, Kageyama left much faster than he'd arrived, (a little) excited to tell Hinata the news.

* * *

By the time he found him, Kageyama was breathless from running and felt like he could possibly collapse at any second. Hinata was in the dining room (where Kageyama really should've looked first, considering it was dinnertime, but whatever) and stared at him with a mouthful of rice as he gratefully collapsed into a seat across from him.

 _You look tired,_ he observed helpfully. _Where did you go?_

Kageyama straightened up, trying to contain his excitement. Hinata's happy-go-lucky attitude was really starting to wear off on him, unfortunately. _I found us some tutors! I ran all the way to the Music Theory classroom, then back to the music room, then to the Composition classroom because I couldn't find you, then here; so I'm a bit out of breath._

 _Even your signs are out of breath,_ Hinata said with a small, amused smile. _I'm still impressed that you managed to learn so fast... Anyway, who did you find?_

 _Sugawara Kōshi and Sawamura Daichi,_ Kageyama answered, stealing some food from his tray. _Sorry, I'm starving. But they said to meet them in the Music Theory classroom at four tomorrow to get started._

 _You really did run all around the school. Geez... take this._ Hinata pushed his tray over to Kageyama, rolling his eyes as he rested his chin in his hand to watch him scarf down the remaining food without pause. _Y'know, you should just give me your cellphone number, so you can message me instead of sprinting around like a crazy person._

Kageyama nearly choked, pounding on his chest a few times to keep from suffocating. _Really?_

 _Yeah. It would save us both lots of trouble._ Hinata retrieved a red mobile from within the depths of his jacket pocket and handed it over to him. _Here. Put your number in._

With shaking fingers, Kageyama did just that, trying not to blush or smile or do _anything_ to show how stupidly, inexplicably _happy_ ( _dammit_ )he was before handing the device back to its owner.

Hinata slipped it back into his pocket after looking at the screen for a moment, flashing him a bright smile as he gathered his things and got to his feet. _I'm going back to my room now to study, but I'll text you later, okay?_

Kageyama didn't hesitate to answer. _Okay. See you._

They both waved nonchalantly, but as soon as Hinata was out of sight, Kageyama smacked his forehead against the table with an audible _thwack!_ , drawing several startled looks from others seated at nearby tables. His heart was beating almost comically fast, as if it would bust out of his chest like a cartoon character's.

All these new and weird emotions were driving him absolutely _crazy_ lately. He couldn't understand any of them, but they made his palms sweat and his hands shake—and it was all stupid Hinata's doing. He was seriously going to give him a heart attack at this rate...

But, then again, maybe that wasn't necessarily such a bad thing.

* * *

 **A/N:** Kageyama is a dork who sucks at feelings and I _love_ it lmao. The music featured in this chapter would be Pachelbel's Canon in D, violin/piano duet. Remember to follow/favorite if you're enjoying the story, and leave comments/corrections down in the review section~ ^-^


	8. Etude in C-sharp Minor, Op 10, No 4

**Chapter Eight**

 **-❤- Etude in C-sharp Minor, Op. 10, No. 4 -❤-**

* * *

Over the next month, Kageyama and Hinata began practicing with Sugawara and Sawamura everyday at four o'clock in the music room where they'd first met. The practice was grueling and the progress slow—and by 'slow,' Kageyama really meant _nonexistent_.

For some reason, he just couldn't seem to match up with Hinata again, no matter how many times or how many different ways he tried. Suga (as he'd instructed them to call him) had seemingly endless reserves of patience, but the encouragement still got him nowhere.

It seemed like it was impossible to recreate the perfect magic of their first duet. Kageyama wasn't particularly nervous anymore—he knew Hinata wouldn't judge him, no matter what happened—but for some reason, he tripped over the notes, unable to find that perfect rhythm they'd achieved before.

It certainly wasn't for lack of trying, though.

He went to the music room early in the morning to practice nearly everyday, which was where he was now, violin bow in his hand and a scowl on his face. Hinata had left a while ago to get breakfast for them both, and Kageyama was glad he wasn't there to see how frustrated he was. It seemed almost like he was back at the very beginning again, having made no progress at all: as if the duet with Hinata had been only a dream.

Kageyama prided himself on being the best, so the whole thing made him equal parts angry and discouraged. He thought his problem was solved, but there he was, back at square one. He could still play perfectly fine on his own, but the moment Hinata joined in, he fell apart. And realizing this only made him angrier: angry enough to give up playing for the day.

He packed away his violin with a growl of frustration, running his hands through his hair irritably.

"You look troubled."

Kageyama jumped, turning to find Suga leaning against the doorway. He moved closer once noticed, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. "What's wrong? You shouldn't be discouraged about slow progress. It's only been a few weeks."

Closing his violin case, Kageyama sighed in response, sagging onto the piano bench dejectedly. "I know. I just feel like we're not... _connecting_."

Suga sat beside him, clapping him on the back reassuringly. "Don't worry, you'll get there! Maybe you two just need to spend some quality time together. A duet works much better when the participants are familiar with one another." He smiled. "Try to get to know Hinata better. I guarantee it'll make a difference."

"Get to know each other?" Kageyama frowned. He hadn't really thought about that, but it was true: they hadn't really spent time together, like normal friends would. Maybe Suga was on to something... "Okay. I'll give it a shot." He gathered his things and waved at Suga on his way out. "Thank you for the advice!"

He jogged down the hall, an idea already forming.

* * *

 _You and me: let's sneak out._

Hinata stared at him like he'd grown two heads as Kageyama stood in front of him breathlessly, disguised in a hoodie and jeans. Hinata, who was still in his school uniform and holding their breakfast, raised an eyebrow as he walked past him. _Um... what exactly do you mean by 'sneak out'?_

Kageyama followed, pulling him into an alcove to assure they were out of sight... even though nobody would probably understand them, anyway. _I mean: let's skip class today and sneak out into town._

 _What? Are you crazy?_ Hinata shook his head in refusal, pushing past him to continue down the hall. _We can't do something like that._

 _Please,_ Kageyama pleaded, chasing after him persistently. _Suga said you and I should spend some time together, but there's no time left between classes and practice._ He stopped Hinata again by grabbing him by the shoulders. _Come on: We'd be there and back without anyone even noticing!_

 _I don't know..._ Hinata bit his lip, but he seemed to be wavering slightly.

Seizing the opportunity, Kageyama sealed the lid on the coffin with something he knew would work. _Don't you want to get to know me?_

He could almost _see_ his resolve crack as Hinata slouched in his jacket, sighing soundlessly. _Alright... fine. But if we get caught, I'm blaming everything on you!_

 _Alright!_ After his moment of victory, Kageyama leaned down closer to Hinata, adopting a serious expression as the redhead stared at him nervously. _Change out of your uniform and meet me at the front doors in ten minutes. We'll have to remain incognito from there._

Hinata's nervous expression dissolved and he rolled his eyes, ducking past him. _You're such a dork._ Despite the words, he was smiling faintly, making Kageyama's stomach feel tingly. _I'll be there._

As he disappeared around the corner, Kageyama bit back a stupid smile, pulling up the hood of his sweatshirt to sneak back towards the front of the school.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Hinata appeared in a baggy sweatshirt and track pants, toting a backpack over his left shoulder. Kageyama stepped out of the shade of the alcove he was hidden behind and approached him, startling him when he touched his shoulder.

Hinata did a double-take at him, raising an eyebrow incredulously. _Sunglasses? Is that really necessary?_

 _Yes!_ Kageyama quickly grabbed him by the hand and pulled him behind a plant as a teacher scurried past with a trumpet case. _We have to be stealthy. The guard that patrols the gate just came inside for some food, so we've got ten minutes to get out._

 _You're a little scary,_ Hinata told him as they tiptoed towards the door. _Were you a criminal in a past life?_

Kageyama rolled his eyes as they slipped through the doors and out onto the lawn. _No. I'm just meticulous. Now shut up and run._

They sprinted across the manicured front lawn, keeping low as they approached the large wrought iron gates that surrounded the campus. Kageyama didn't even hesitate, taking a running leap and scrabbling up the fence easily, dropping into a crouch on the other side. That had been easier than expected.

Hinata stared at him through the bars in exasperation. _Okay, you're nuts if you think I'm doing that._

 _Just try,_ Kageyama urged. _It's not that high. Hurry, before they see us._

With a long sigh, Hinata took several steps back and made a running leap at the fence. He hit it farther up than Kageyama had, careening over (far less gracefully) and falling to the grass with a quiet thud. He started to complain, but his signs were broken up as he brushed grass off his legs, using the fence to pull himself to his feet.

As soon as he was up, Kageyama grabbed Hinata's hand again and took off running down the street before they could be spotted. Despite the fact that he knew this was totally stupid and reckless, and that Suga probably hadn't meant this when he suggested they spend time together, Kageyama felt a warm spark of happiness as they raced down the hill hand in hand.

* * *

Kageyama had glimpsed the town on the drive to Karasuno, but he hadn't really taken the time to study it in close detail. As they reached the bottom of the hill and coasted to a stop, the whole downtown area lay sprawled before them, a cozy collection of shops and businesses that seemed to be calling out invitingly.

It was the sort of town one would call 'picturesque,' the square bustling with people, everyone talking and smiling as Kageyama and Hinata edged their way into the crowd. The flow of people was immense, but not in an unpleasant way. Nobody was pushing or shoving to get where they needed to go: it was like a gentle river sweeping them along

Hinata was taking everything in with wide eyes and an open mouth, and Kageyama couldn't help but smile as he cut a path through the crowd for them, ducking into an empty shop alcove. _Where do you want to go first?_ he asked the excited redhead, whose eyes were still roaming around in excitement.

After a moment of contemplation, Hinata tugged on his sleeve and pointed over the crowd, directing Kageyama's attention to a small sweets shop across the square. It had a mint green pastel awning and frosted glass windows, and the pastries displayed in the window were enough to make his mouth water.

With his agreement, the two of them jogged across to the shop, squeezing past the flow of pedestrians to enter. A bell chimed brightly in greeting, and the smell of confectioner's sugar and peppermint immediately filled Kageyama's nose. Hinata wasted no time in testing the waters, diving right in among the other customers to peruse the proffered goods.

Kageyama had a little more trouble, almost knocking several people over as he sidled through the crowd after the smaller boy, trying not to wake people with his elbows or accidentally trip someone. His annoyance at the crowdedness immediately dissipated, though, when Hinata ducked between two strangers to grab him by the arm with a huge smile.

 _Crepes!_ he signed eagerly, eyes sparkling with excitement as he wove his way back to the counter, dragging Kageyama behind him. He pressed his forehead against the glass to peer down at the sugar-dusted cones, nestled neatly in white paper emblazoned with the shop's logo. His expression faintly reminded Kageyama of a kid on Christmas morning.

He stared at Hinata's dazed expression for a few more seconds before calling over the shopkeeper. "We'll take two of these, please."

When he handed Hinata the desert, the redhead looked like he might faint from happiness. After barely signing a quick thank you, he took an enormous bite, leaving dollops of cream all over his face. Kageyama watched him with a concealed smile, and the spark in his chest grew warmer.

* * *

After finishing the crepes, Hinata dragged Kageyama all over downtown, from a bookshop to a toy store and everywhere in between. By the time he'd finally tired himself out, it was nearing sundown, and many people had gone home for the day, leaving only a few groups wandering around leisurely.

Kageyama suggested they stop by the park before leaving, and Hinata was already off before he'd even finished his sentence, towing him by the wrist to the entrance. It wasn't a large park—just about a mile or two of trees and a small garden—but it felt inviting, just like the rest of the town.

And, as they rounded a bend, there was a piano sitting up ahead, as if it had fallen from the sky. Kageyama had heard of cities placing pianos in parks and such, but he'd never actually encountered one before. And it seemed like fate, considering it was just the two of them, there entirely by chance.

Hinata immediately ran over to it, as Kageyama had expected. When he sat on the bench, it was as if he became a different person, back straightening and shoulders relaxing. Kageyama leaned against the piano and watched him, half-smiling, as he set his fingers against the keys.

He recognized the song immediately—Etude in E—but, as always, Hinata played it differently. Although he kept the pacing the same, somehow, the way he timed each note made the song more fluid and shifting. Kageyama's breath caught: He could almost _see_ the notes in the air as Hinata's fingers flew across the keys; dancing little figures composed of light.

It was so breathtaking, Kageyama wanted to be part of it. He sat on the bench beside Hinata, replacing his fingers on the right side and carrying on the notes, staying in perfect alignment with the quick rhythm. The redhead looked at him askance in surprise, but his fingers didn't falter in the song.

Together, they carried the melody into the ending, and Kageyama closed his eyes to absorb the uplifting sound. Etude in E minor, Op. 25, No. 5: the song that was 'perfectly imperfect.' Like a pair of artists stumbling over one another to paint on the same canvas, but ultimately creating a stunning work of art in the process.

Although many hated its informality, sitting there, playing it with Hinata, Kageyama faintly thought it might've been the most beautiful piece he'd ever heard.

When the last notes of the song tapered off, Kageyama opened his eyes to find Hinata staring at him. _So, you... play piano?_ He seemed utterly dumbfounded. _Why didn't you tell me that sooner?!_

 _Ah..._ Kageyama shrugged, scratching the back of his neck with a sheepish smile. _My mom is a pianist, and my dad played violin, so... I learned both. I just chose violin after... well, it's a long story._

Hinata shook his head. _Geez, you're really too much! No wonder everyone calls you the 'Solo Prodigy'!_ He crossed his arms with a huff. _I'll never be able to catch up to you in talent at this rate!_

For a moment, Kageyama stared at him in shock, but then, he burst out laughing, doubling over as Hinata stared at him, flabbergasted. "S-sorry," he gasped out between breaths. "It's just—no one's ever said that to me before! They called me that because I couldn't perform a duet, but you— you think it's because I'm—" He broke down again, laughing so hard, his stomach hurt.

 _Stop laughing!_ Hinata smacked him on the arm angrily, somehow managing to read his lips through the hysterical laughter. _What, you mean that's not why they call you that?_

Kageyama managed to catch his breath and looked at him, still chuckling. _They called me that because I couldn't do a duet. Until now, I really, really hated that name..._ He couldn't help the fond smile that spread across his face, nor the warmth that filled his chest. _But now that you said that, I think... I really don't mind it at all._

* * *

 **A/N:** Dorks being dorks once again, but I love them anyway. The song featured in this chapter is the amazingly beautiful and chaotic Etude in C-sharp Minor, Op. 10, No. 4 by Chopin. (I'll likely be making a playlist of these eventually, maybe when all the chapters are done~)


	9. La Ronde des Lutins, Op 25

**Chapter Nine**

 **-❤- La Ronde des Lutins, Op. 25 -❤-**

* * *

They made it back over the gate and safely inside the school without a hitch, but when they showed up in the music room, laughing and elbowing one another, Suga stood in front of the piano with his arms crossed.

"You're late."

Despite his non-threatening manner, Kageyama was a little nervous as he and Hinata instantly lowered their heads. "Sorry, Suga-san! we were just, um... discussing whether or not we should change our composition choice!" he stammered, grasping at the first excuse that came into his head. He immediately cringed afterward, because Suga would doubtlessly ask what they'd decided; and there _was_ no decision since it was a fictional conversation.

But luckily, Takeda chose that moment to stumble in carrying an armful of sheet music, glasses nearly falling off his nose as he thumped them down on the piano lid. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he smiled at the three of them sheepishly. "Sorry to interrupt! I just brought the music you asked for, Sugawara."

Suga seemed hesitant to let them off the hook, but he mercifully smiled and nodded. "Great! Thanks. I'll let you know the final decision by tomorrow morning."

As the disheveled teacher nodded back and ducked out of the room clumsily, Kageyama leaned closer to study the music. "Are these all piano/violin duets?" He leafed through the top few on the enormous stack with raised brows. "These aren't all for us, are they?"

"Nope," Suga answered, cutting the stack in half so it wouldn't topple over. "Although you can certainly look through them, these are pieces Daichi and I are going to choose from for the musical contest."

"Wha—" Kageyama glanced at him, wide-eyed. " _You're_ entering it too?!"

Suga rolled his eyes. "Of course I am. I thought Takeda would've told you? It's Daichi and me, Yachi and Shimizu, you two, and another pair of third years, Azumane and Nishinoya."

"Ah... I didn't even think of asking who else was entering..." Kageyama murmured quietly. "So, then, it's two violin/piano pairs, a harp and cellist, and... what do the last pair play?"

"Hmmm..." Suga paused in rifling through music for a moment to think. "Contrabass and viola, I think?"

"Ah... I see." Kageyama frowned slightly at the stacks of sheet music. "If you don't mind me asking, how are you going to decide out of so many pieces? Will you even have time to play all of these to test them out?"

"Oh; we've played all of them before," Suga said, as if it were nothing. "All we ever do is practice, so we've had plenty of time to work on a lot of different songs. You two, however..." He glanced between them with a sigh. "Since you started so late in the game, you have way less time than the rest of us did. But you said you had discussed a change of compositions?"

 _Fuck_. He should've known that would come back up.

Luckily, Hinata had his back, finally joining the conversation with a helpful, _We couldn't actually decide since Kageyama is so stubborn. We figured we'd just ask for your help instead._

"Hey!" Kageyama swatted him with a glare before translating for Suga, leaving out the bit about him being 'stubborn.'

Luckily, Suga seemed to buy it coming from him, and he nodded his agreement. "Sure, I'll help. Tell me what pieces you were considering, and I'll give my input."

Before their asses could be on the chopping block again, Kageyama grasped at the first duet title that popped into his head. "La Ronde des Lutins! We were thinking La Ronde des Lutins!"

Suga's brows rose dubiously. "Are you serious? I don't see how that would help you at all. That piece is significantly more difficult than your current composition, and with your level of coordination..." He trailed off with a sigh. "That's a piece even pros with years of experience struggle with.

"Do you truly think you can handle such a big song after struggling with a much simpler one? Because, if so, I admire your bravado, and I won't stop you: but you should really think this over _carefully_."

Kageyama must've been panicking more than he thought, because he nodded his head vigorously, despite Hinata's attempts at silent protest. "Yes! I know my rhythm is poor now, but I think a faster piece will bring out my true potential, if you'll just allow us to give it a shot."

Suga sighed in defeat, giving him a half shrug. "Alright then... I'll go print off the sheet music, but don't be too disappointed if you can't execute it perfectly, alright?"

"We won't," Kageyama assured, although he was beginning to doubt it.

Silently, he added, _I definitely won't fail this time._ And he _really_ tried to make himself believe it.

* * *

Staring at the sheet music, Kageyama felt less confident. He wasn't overly familiar with La Ronde des Lutins—it had just randomly popped into his head—and Sugawara was right: it was _much_ more difficult than their previous piece. He was developing a headache just looking at the first line.

But he couldn't give up now. Besides, maybe playing so fast would keep him distracted enough not to mess up.

Unpacking his violin, Kageyama let out a nervous breath and glanced at Hinata, waiting for his okay to begin. He too seemed skeptical, but nodded anyway, setting his fingers on the keys. Suga watched them both from close by, arms crossed in anticipation.

Kageyama had less than a second to prepare himself before Hinata launched into the song, and he picked up his bow and began to play. It was like sprinting full-speed down a hill, unable to slow down or hesitate for even a moment. His bow and fingers moved like lightning across the strings, and to his great surprise, the music clashed with Hinata's playing perfectly.

Like two fencers facing off, the piano and violin fought against one another in a great crescendo of clashing notes, angry and shrill and perfect. Kageyama almost felt like he was the one holding a sword, fighting to play each note, side by side with Hinata, like medieval knights.

It was almost... thrilling. Kageyama barely noticed as they reached the end of the song, only realizing it had ended when his momentum finally came crashing to a stop, leaving him standing there, breathless and sweaty with his bow still half raised.

When Hinata glanced up at him, wide-eyed, Kageyama gasped, letting it fall, and turned to find Sugawara gaping at them. His shocked expression slowly developed into one of chagrin as he shook his head with a half-sigh, half-laugh. "You know, I didn't believe Takeda at first, but you two... are _way_ too frustrating."

Kageyama laughed breathlessly, clutching his chest as he bent over with his hands on his knees, staring at the bow in his hand in slight awe. The perfection of their first duet hadn't been a fluke, after all. He really had it— _they_ really had it. _Almost like fate..._

 _So— So—_ Hinata signed to him frantically, _Does this mean we found our new song?!_ He was bouncing around Kageyama with a stupid, excited smile on his face; but for once, he didn't care.

Instead, he just smiled back at him, fingers tightening on his violin ever so slightly. "Yeah... I think we did."

* * *

 _That was just— just— amazing!_ At dinner, Hinata still wasn't done gushing about their performance, waving his hands around wildly as he ate, nearly splattering others with food in the process. _You were all like 'gyah' and I was like 'whoosh' and then you went 'pwahh'!_

Kageyama watched his enthusiastic speech with a small, hidden smile, dodging bits of rice when they came flying at him. _I wasn't that amazing: I think it's all thanks to you._ It wasn't characteristic of him to say something like that, but it was true: He never would've been able to do a duet without Hinata, he was 100% sure.

The redhead blushed at the praise, waving his hands dismissively. _No, no; don't be stupid! You just needed a little push, that's all! It's not like I really did that much..._

Kageyama was about to sign back when a crumpled up ball of paper sailed out of nowhere and smacked Hinata on the back of the head, startling them both. Hinata immediately slouched, and it struck Kageyama hard, because he realized that it was the motion of someone who was about to be hit—was _used_ to being hit—and hot anger spiked through him.

Another piece of paper came sailing and pinged against his shoulder, and Kageyama traced it to two tables behind, where a group of boys was snickering quietly amongst themselves. One look at their and Hinata's faces, and he knew these were the assholes responsible for his ripped up sheet music and God only knew what else.

The next item they tried to throw was caught by Kageyama deftly, half-risen from his seat with a hand still outstretched, poised beside Hinata's head. As he looked at it, Kageyama gritted his teeth harshly and pushed himself away from the table, shaking off the redhead's hand when he tried to stop him.

He had reached the boys' table before he knew it, dropping the apple on the cluttered surface and slamming his hands against it, glaring into the eyes of the closest person. "Which one of you threw this?" As they all flinched, he gazed around at each of them, repeating the question slowly through bared teeth. " _Which one of you threw this_?"

"Ooh, how scary; here's the mute's friend," one of them joked, earning laughs from the others. "Come to defend your—"

He didn't even have a chance to finish his sentence, because Kageyama had ripped him out of his seat and punched him full on the mouth in the span of about two seconds, sending the boy sprawling. Immediately, his friends all lunged at Kageyama, and he managed to take down two more of them unscathed before a teacher finally pulled him away.

He didn't really care: All he could see was red.

* * *

Later that night, Kageyama walked back to his room with a scowl on his face. He'd gotten a harsh talking-to from the headmaster, but luckily, Yachi had apparently been standing in the food line and seen the whole thing, testifying that he'd been provoked and sparing him from further punishment.

After thanking her, he'd left, anger still bubbling in the pit of his stomach. It almost physically hurt to think of how long Hinata had been dealing with those dicks before he'd arrived. Punching out _three_ of them wasn't nearly enough for him, and his fists were clenched painfully as he stalked down the hall, silently fuming.

He was so upset, it took him a few moments to realize Hinata was sitting in front of his dorm when he reached it, legs tucked tightly to his chest. The redhead stood up as soon as Kageyama noticed him, lips turned down in a worried frown as he approached, fingers jerking in anxious signs. _Are you alright? They didn't suspend you, did they?_

 _No, nothing like that,_ he told him with a sigh. _What are you doing here? It's late._

Hinata looked away, biting his lip slightly. _I was really worried... You didn't have to do that for me._ He took Kageyama's hand before he could respond, brushing his fingers lightly over his bruised knuckles. _And you're hurt now, too... I'm sorry._

Blushing, he gently retracted his hands to reassure him, _I'm fine. You have nothing to apologize for._ His eyebrows lowered as Kageyama's anger returned. _You should've let me at those guys way sooner. You shouldn't have to deal with that crap, ever. I wish I could've taken all of them out._

 _No!_ Hinata said urgently. _I really don't want any more violence to come out of this!_ He stared up at Kageyama pleadingly. _Please; please just ignore them._

Kageyama wanted to argue with him _so_ badly—to insist that this needed to be dealt with further—but he didn't want to cause him any more anxiety, so instead, he nodded reluctantly. _Alright... I will. Now, let me walk you back to your room, before we get caught._

 _Okay!_ Hinata agreed quickly, seemingly pleased at his fast agreement. He gathered his bag from the floor and hurried past him, back down the hall and towards the west wing. Kageyama followed him, keeping an eye out for teachers while trying to memorize the route: He'd finally get to see Hinata's room.

It was much farther away than he'd expected, nearly at the edge of the western part of the campus, and he took extra time to study the surroundings as Hinata paused to dig for the key in the depths of his bag. When he fitted it into the lock and swung open the door, Kageyama turned back to him and was shocked as arms wrapped around him.

For a moment, he hesitated, but then he leaned down to hug him back, absorbing Hinata's warmth before he pulled away again. He was smiling shyly, slightly flushed, and he took Kageyama's uninjured hand to gently squeeze it before backing away with a half wave. _Thanks for looking out for me today... I'll see you tomorrow!_

As soon as he disappeared behind the door, Kageyama leaned against it heavily and let out a shaky breath. His hand squeezed the space over his heart as he exhaled shakily. It was beating so hard, he could feel it against his palm, like a drum beat.

Dammit. This crush thing was _really_ getting out of hand...

* * *

 **A/N:** He finally admits he has a crush lmao. The song used in this chapter would be La Ronde des Lutins (or Dance of the Goblins), op. 25, by Antonio Bazzini.

I'm thinking of doing a Q&A if any of you guys have any questions about the universe or other characters' involvement in the story, etc. If so, please let me know, and I'll announce next chapter whether a Q&A will be hosted or not ^-^


	10. Piano Trio in G

**Chapter Ten**

 **-❤- Piano Trio in G -❤-**

* * *

Throughout class the next day, Kageyama could tell Hinata was a bit down. Despite the occasional smile, he looked as if he were in deep thought, brows constantly furrowed. It didn't take a rocket scientist to realize he was still troubled over what had happened the previous night.

Kageyama stared out the window with a slight frown, watching the rain run down the glass as he struggled to think of a way to cheer him up. He'd never been the best at that... mainly because he'd never had someone he really _wanted_ to cheer up before. His family had always been the type to deal with their own problems and keep their heads up, so he honestly had no idea what to do.

At the front of the room, the composition teacher was droning on, and Kageyama frowned out the window harder. The rain was really coming down, and lightning nearly blinded him every other second, accompanied by loud booms of thunder. It didn't seem like it was going to end anytime soon—just like his predicament of cheering up Hinata.

To start at the root of the problem: _why_ was he upset?

Probably because Kageyama went all Terminator at lunch yesterday... But, then, what could he do to show him he wasn't a violent nut job? Not that he _was_ : those assholes had deserved it, after all. But Hinata obviously didn't see it that way... so what could he _do_?

Suddenly, it struck him like a brick to the face: _Music_. Of course! It was the greatest apology there was—at least, the greatest _he_ could think of. What better way to make up was there?

"Music in itself is healing." Some musician guy had said that once, and it had proved to be true—at least in Kageyama's experience.

But... he'd already played for him several times. How could he make it special?

Music was already very special—to both of them, he knew—but thus far, they'd only duets. Kageyama had always played _with_ Hinata, never _for_ him. He felt like he owed Hinata so much: He'd changed his whole world. Not only was he his first friend, but probably his best. He'd unlocked a duet nobody else could—not even Kageyama, himself.

Maybe playing for him, and him alone, would make it as special as he needed it to be.

At least, Kageyama really hoped so.

* * *

"Yachi, Shimizu, I have a favor to ask of you both."

The two girls turned to look at him in the hallway as he approached, Yachi smiling warmly. "Ah, sure, Kageyama! What do you need?"

"I was wondering if you two would be willing to help me with something." He reached into his bag to pull out sheet music and handed one to both girls. "I want to play this for... someone." He shifted nervously as Shimizu stared at him blankly. "Uh... today, at lunch..."

Immediately, Yachi lit up with a bright smile. "Ooh, that's _so_ sweet! Of course we'll help!" She nudged Shimizu, who was leafing through the music, and she faintly nodded in agreement. Yachi grabbed her arm happily and grinned at Kageyama. "Great! We'll meet you at lunch!"

As the two turned, she waved over her shoulder with a giggle. "See you!"

Kageyama sagged in relief and stared down at the sheet music in his hand and headed down the hall, smiling slightly. Thunder boomed outside and rain thrummed a gentle hum against the windows, but it did little to dampen his good mood. Things seemed to be falling into place perfectly.

Now, if only it would last.

* * *

At lunch, Kageyama told Hinata he would go save them seats and sprinted off ahead, violin case in hand. Yachi and Shimizu were waiting, as promised, beyond the lunchroom doors, their instruments already prepared on the small stage. Surprisingly, Shimizu's harp was missing, and instead, she was seated behind the piano.

Yachi leaned her cello against her chair to wave at him, hopping off the stage and racing over to him. "Hey! Everything's set up already. Kiyoko— Ah, I mean... Shimizu said she'd play the piano instead of adapting the song for the harp."

"Ah... that's great!" Kageyama followed her up to the stage and set his violin in the empty chair. Yachi had already set up a music stand for him, and he set up the sheet music, looking it over once more. Despite all his practice with Hinata in the last few weeks, he was still nervous about trying an accompaniment with new people—his first time ever attempting a trio.

But he trusted Shimizu and Yachi. They were an experienced pair: he was sure they would take the lead. Besides; no matter what, he _needed_ to play for Hinata.

Speaking of Hinata, just as he was unlatching his violin case, the redhead ducked into the dining hall, eyes searching for him in the throng of students. As his eyes swept the floor and didn't find him, Kageyama could see Hinata frown, but then their eyes locked over the crowd, and his eyebrows knit together in confusion.

 _What's going on?_ he signed, moving through the crowd to stand closer.

Taking out his violin, Kageyama only smiled at him before turning to nod at Shimizu.

As she began to play, he looked back down at Hinata. _For you,_ he told him simply, settling back against the chair, instrument comfortably in hand. He never broke their locked gazes, even as he set the bow against the strings in the first notes of the song.

Unlike what he'd expected, he didn't feel nervous at all. It felt almost relieving to play apart from Hinata—to play for Hinata. But even so, as Kageyama listened to Shimizu play, he could imagine the redhead sitting behind him instead of her, and it gave him the strength he needed.

They weren't playing the full song, but Kageyama almost wished they were. He felt as if he'd been asleep for years, and was only just waking up. The music was clearer and brighter than ever, and maybe that was because he was playing it for someone else. He could almost see the notes, dancing through the air in waves of color and feeling.

And even though Yachi and Shimizu were beside him, Kageyama felt like he was alone, playing for Hinata with all his heart. As they reached the end of the song, Kageyama wanted to see him smile—to see his eyes shining like they always did when he was happy—but when he looked at him... he _wasn't_ smiling.

He was _crying_ , and when Kageyama's fingers stilled against the strings at the end of the song, he turned and ran, disappearing among the clapping crowd.

"Excuse me for a moment, please!" Kageyama told Shimizu and Yachi quickly. "I'll be right back!"

Ditching his violin on the chair, he leapt off the stage and sprinted after him.

* * *

As expected, Hinata was found in the music room, hunched over the piano. Breathless, Kageyama paused at the doorway to recover for a moment before hesitantly approaching him.

He was crying silently, tears visible on the untouched piano keys, and he jumped when Kageyama brushed his shoulder. He wouldn't meet his eyes, so Kageyama took his hand instead, signing carefully against his palm. _What's wrong? Why are you crying?_

Hinata wiped his eyes on his uniform sleeve and finally glanced over at him. He squeezed his hand, which was reassuring, whether he meant it to be or not. _I'm fine. It's just... nobody's ever played for me before._

After a moment of shocked silence, Kageyama let out a light laugh, letting out a tense breath. _Are you kidding?! I thought it was because you didn't like it! You scared the hell out of me._

 _No no no!_ Hinata insisted, visibly panicking, which only made him smile wider. _I really really liked it!_ _I promise!_ _Like way better than playing a duet!_ He covered his face in embarrassment. _No! That's not what I meant! Ugh, I'm messing this up..._

 _It's okay,_ Kageyama reassured him, trying not to blush himself. _I'm... glad you liked it. I just thought you looked down after what happened yesterday. I thought it might cheer you up._

 _Really?_ Hinata smiled at him sheepishly. _You didn't have to do that just for me..._

Kageyama scoffed and gently bumped his shoulder. _I wanted to. Just shut up and thank me already._

He finally laughed at that, pushing his shoulder. _Jerk!_ His eyes softened and he smiled: the smile Kageyama had wanted from the very beginning. _Thank you._

Although the words were simple, Kageyama felt filled with a warmth that encompassed his entire chest like a blanket. It was incredibly odd, but somehow, he felt so... _at home_ there, sitting on a piano bench with Hinata. He completely forgot everything except the sight of him smiling, the sound of the rain against the window, and the feeling of their linked hands.

For once, he just let himself be content.

* * *

At dinner, it was still raining. As Kageyama sat down, he glared out the window with a sigh. "Gah... it's never going to stop storming."

Across from him, Hinata shrugged noncommittally. _I like the rain,_ he said. _It's refreshing. And it's good for studying._

 _I think it's a pain,_ Kageyama responded irritably. _It makes everything muddy and it's always dark so you can't tell what time it is. And you'll get drenched if you go outside. How are you supposed to get anything done?_

 _Those are stupid reasons,_ Hinata told him bluntly, stabbing a fork into his salad with purpose. _There are a lot of better things to hate other than rain. Like homework. Or tall people. I'm just saying, rain never did anything to you._

Kageyama shot him an incredulous look, but before he could respond, someone quite literally _fell_ into the seat next to him, nearly dropping their tray. It was a boy he didn't recognize, who grinned and chimed a cheerful apology as he slouched fully into the chair.

"Um... can I... help you with something?" Kageyama asked slowly, looking from the boy's odd spiked hair to his noticeably small stature in the utmost confusion. Was this a first year or something? Why was he sitting with them? Usually, it was just the two of them, alone.

"Ah... sorry for just barging over!" The boy grabbed Kageyama's hand like a striking cobra and shook it hard enough to nearly rip his arm off, grinning widely the whole time. "I'm Nishinoya Yū! I heard from Sawamura that you're the newbies entering the competition, so I thought I'd say hey."

"Oh... I see." He recognized the name—Nishinoya Yū: one of their school's other competitors. He was in a duo with Azumane, if Kageyama remembered correctly. "Nice to meet you. I'm Kageyama Tobio, and that's Hinata Shōyō."

"Yeah, good to meetcha." He rested an elbow on the table and took a bite of noodles as he glanced between the two of them, clearly having no sense of their unease at being approached out of the blue. "So, I hear you guys are a violin/piano pair, huh?" He spoke as if he'd known them forever, which helped ease the tension a bit. "Which is which?"

"I play violin," Kageyama offered diplomatically, trying to ignore how badly Nishinoya's table manners were. "Hinata plays piano."

"How long have you guys been playing together?" Nishinoya asked around a mouthful of rice, making Kageyama grimace as he spewed grains across the table.

"Uh... only about a month or so." He glanced at Hinata, but knew there was no way he could save him, considering he couldn't join the conversation without paper. He did offer an apologetic shrug, though that provided little comfort.

"Only a month?!" Nishinoya exclaimed, blissfully swallowing the rice. "Dang, you guys must have wicked skills if you signed up for comp with only a month of practice."

"Well... our situation is... interesting," Kageyama said uncomfortably, chugging milk to keep from talking.

Nishinoya didn't seem to mind his silence. "Oh, well, you guys should come to this party Comp's throwing tomorrow. Then, you can show off your skills."

"Ah... I don't know about that," Kageyama muttered uncertainly, shooting an oblivious Hinata another 'help me' look. "We're probably going to be busy... We need to practice, so we really shouldn't..."

"Aw, come on!" Nishinoya threw an arm around his shoulder, surprisingly powerful for someone so short. "You really can't miss it! All the other duet pairs'll be there too, and it's a rite of passage for third years to attend this party!"

Kageyama tried to make up more excuses, but Nishinoya was getting up already, backpedaling with his empty tray in hand. "I'll see you guys there! Room three-oh-two at nine PM sharp!"

As he disappeared in the dinnertime crowd, Kageyama turned back to Hinata with an exasperated look. I guess we're stuck going to this stupid party. _Thanks for your help. You could've at least faked choking for me._

The redhead only shrugged helplessly. _Who knows: maybe it'll be fun._

Somehow, Kageyama seriously doubted it.

* * *

 **A/N:** I stayed up to finish this chapter and I feel exhausted ahhh... Don't really have time to proofread, so feel free to check me on any mistakes.

This chapter's song feature is Mozart's Piano Trio in G, K. 496.

Nobody really responded to the previous QA question, so it's still pending if you guys are interested. (Also, if anyone is wondering why no one has honorifics, it's because they're all the same age in this, just an fyi.)

Until next time~ ^-^


	11. Blumenlied, Op 39

**Chapter Eleven**

 **-❤- Blumenlied, Op. 39 -❤-**

* * *

 _I still think this is a bad idea._

Kageyama and Hinata were standing outside room 302, where the muffled sounds of laughter and music could be heard from inside. For some reason, no teachers wandered the hall to hear the commotion, so they were entirely alone in the darkness.

Hinata didn't seem to share Kageyama's reluctance, nudging him on the shoulder reassuringly. _Come on, it'll be fun,_ he encouraged, already reaching out to knock on the door.

Resigning himself to his fate, Kageyama lingered behind him as the sound of footsteps echoed from beyond, and a breathless Nishinoya threw the door open with a wide grin. "Oh, you're here! Come on in." His enthusiasm was almost visible, radiating off of him in bright waves that made Kageyama want to cringe.

They followed him past the threshold and into the midst of a small crowd of people, most of them drinking and laughing, others on the outskirts of the room with their noses buried in their phones. Hinata seemed even more excited, practically _glowing_ as his eyes roamed the large space without pause. Kageyama was beginning to worry he would run straight into Nishinoya's back.

Oh well. At least the place wasn't as crowded as he'd expected. There were only about fifteen or so in all, and most of them appeared to be simply goofing off. He could see a group in the corner who was jamming with guitars. In all honesty, it seemed more like a free study period than a party.

"Asahi!" As they neared the back wall, Nishinoya raised a hand and flagged down a giant lingering by the window: his duet partner, Azumane, Kageyama wagered. As he approached, Nishinoya tackled him, securing an arm around his waist: the farthest up he could reach. "Asahi, these are the ones I told you about!"

To Kageyama's great surprise, the giant bowed his head sheepishly in greeting, speaking in a timid voice that completely contrasted his immense size. "Nice to meet you both..."

 _Nice to meet you!_ Hinata signed, still smiling like an idiot. He'd probably never been to a party before, and it showed.

Kageyama opened his mouth to translate for him, but to his further surprise, Azumane smiled timidly and signed back to him, _You're Hinata, right? I heard you play the piano._

The redhead's eyes (and smile) widened as he quickly launched into a passionate conversation with the gentle giant, and Kageyama raised an eyebrow at Nishinoya, who quietly explained, "His mom was deaf. He was excited when he heard there was someone else who spoke sign language here."

"Oh, I see." Kageyama studied Hinata's eager grin, and he couldn't help but let a small smile slip before he spoke to Nishinoya again, deciding to give the redhead some more time to chat. "So, how long have you and Azumane been paired up?"

"Since first year!" he responded brightly. "We really clicked for some reason. But enough about us: I really wanna hear you guys play!" He grabbed Kageyama by the arm and wrenched him down, nearly dislocating his shoulder, and whispered pseudo-secretively, "Suga keeps preaching about how amazing you guys are after only a little practice, so I'm _dying_ to hear you for myself."

"Ah, um... we— we didn't bring our instruments..." Kageyama began nervously, but Nishinoya quickly waved him off.

"Oh, don't worry: we've got every instrument under the sun here! We _did_ borrow a music room, after all." He pulled Kageyama by the arm, talking loudly over his protests. "Come on! You've gotta back up all this blind praise: otherwise, you'll seem conceited! It'll be fun."

Somehow, he seriously doubted that.

* * *

 _We really don't have to do this,_ Kageyama signed to Hinata anxiously. _We can seriously back out..._

Unfortunately, his silently implied cries for help went completely unnoticed by the redhead, who shook his head adamantly from his place behind the music room's grand piano. _No, I really want to do it! Besides, it'll be good to get in some extra practice._

Kageyama groaned inwardly, but he couldn't outright refuse in front of a dozen expectant people, so he positioned his violin, trying not to show his inner suffering. They'd already decided on a song—Blumenlied, Op. 39. It was one of the pieces they'd practiced with before, so Kageyama was confident that he knew it, but he was still nervous to perform in front of a crowd. All the bravado from his trio with Yachi and Shimizu had disappeared.

But he supposed he needed to get used to it, considering the competition would be in front of who knew how many people. Besides, Hinata seemed really excited about it, so Kageyama couldn't bear to back down. He needed to trust him, and have faith in the skill they'd been refining together for the past month.

 _Are you ready?_ Hinata asked him, and he nodded before he could back out.

The redhead's fingers struck the first chords, and he closed his eyes to block out the crowd, focusing instead on the comfort of the music. As the piano notes floated through the air, Kageyama could feel himself relaxing into the rhythm.

He placed his bow carefully against the strings, gathering his courage.

His first notes blended perfectly into the melody. Syncing with Hinata came to him almost as naturally as breathing now. after the hell Suga and Daichi put them through every day. It was as if they held hands throughout the song, matching paces to ensure neither was left behind.

Hinata played this piece particularly beautifully, Kageyama thought. The sound was so pure and sweet, he could almost smell flowers in the air. The way he played the composition wasn't sad like the others: it was bright and happy and immensely warm. Kageyama could feel his mood improving, just by being surrounded by the calming notes and knowing that he and Hinata were creating this perfection, together.

The complete harmony ended almost too quickly, and Kageyama opened his eyes again as his bow struck the last note, ripping him free of the song's captivating spell. People had begun clapping, and before he could register what was happening, Nishinoya's arm was around his shoulder, and the violin had been plucked from his hands.

Meaningless words were being shouted in his ear, but Kageyama was too busy staring over his shoulder at Hinata to pay attention.

He was smiling again, and it was as bright as the sun.

* * *

By the time they escaped from the party, it was nearing 1 AM, the halls completely dark. No teachers were patrolling the corridors that late, so they were free to take their time on the way back without having to worry.

The rain had finally stopped, and outside, the pitch black sky was clear and covered in stars.

Hinata had paused by a window, resting his arms against the sill to peer up at them.

Kageyama leaned against the wall beside him, squinting out into the darkness at the damp grass. The moon against the water droplets made it appear as if it were shining, just like the stars, and it gave him an idea.

Crossing over to the window frame, Kageyama pulled it up all the way, easily sliding through to stand in the damp lily bushes on the other side. He turned back around and held his hand out to a confused Hinata. _Come on: Let's go stargazing._

 _But... the grass is wet,_ he complained, taking his hand anyway.

 _It'll be fine._ Kageyama carefully helped him over, turning to point across the lawn. _Let's go over to that hill._

They kicked off their shoes beneath the window and ran across the wet grass, stopping atop a gentle slope to lie down under a camellia tree. Kageyama settled down and rested his hands beneath his head, staring up through the falling pink petals at the stars. Thanks to his mother's fondness for them, he could easily map out each constellation, tracing them with his eyes and listening to the faint sounds of the wind.

For a while, the two of them just lay there and watched the sky. Any sign of the previous days' rain had disappeared, leaving not a cloud in sight. The night breeze was pleasantly cool against the soles of Kageyama's bare feet, and the grass tickled his neck when he eventually shifted his head to look over at Hinata.

His red hair shone in the moonlight, almost like an actual fire, and his eyes reflected the brightness of the stars. The constellations were better viewed this way, Kageyama thought. Much better. Or perhaps the stars had always been in his eyes, and he'd just never noticed before.

Inevitably, Hinata noticed him staring and laughed silently. _You seem to really like stargazing, huh?_

 _My mom likes it,_ Kageyama told him, hoping the darkness would hide the stupid, lovesick face he was undoubtedly making. _My dad always used to take her stargazing on their dates, and he would tell me it was 'in the stars' for me to be born. I always hated him saying that. So embarrassing..._

 _Used to take her?_ Hinata asked. _He doesn't anymore?_

 _Yeah..._ Kageyama looked back up at the sky and sighed. _He died a while ago. Car accident, when I was eleven._

 _I'm... sorry,_ Hinata said after a moment of silence. He hesitated again. _And he was... a violinist?_

 _He was. That's why I ended up choosing violin: to honor his memory._ Kageyama smiled faintly. _My mom really likes it when I play for her—especially their song. She says I sound just like he did. But enough about me._ He turned his head again to look at him. _What about you? What's your family like?_

Hinata glanced away, biting his lip. _Ah, well... same as your dad. My parents and my sister all passed away a few years ago. I was there too, but... somehow, I survived it. After that, I went to live with my grandparents in Tokyo, and they put me through music school._

 _Wow. Guess we have more in common than I thought,_ Kageyama said—then immediately felt like smacking himself. That was _not_ how you were supposed to comfort someone. _Shit. No. I just meant— I mean..._ He covered his face and groaned. _I'm just happy to be learning more about you... is what I meant..._

Hinata covered his mouth, though he was clearly grinning. _I still think you're weird. But I'm happy to be learning things about you, too. You're sort of a closed book._

 _Ah... I guess I am,_ Kageyama admitted with a faint frown. _It's not like I'm trying to be... It's just how I am. My mom's always telling me I need to open up more._ He glanced at him timidly. _But... I'll tell you what: Tonight, you can ask me whatever you want, and I'll answer it. Anything at all._

 _Anything?_ Hinata pondered. _Then... can I ask you why you were so interested in me?_

Kageyama's face exploded in a blush, and he quickly turned his head away to hide it. _Interested? I'm not— I mean, I wasn't—_ He was suddenly having a hard time remembering signs, his brain was so scrambled. _What— What exactly do you mean?_

 _I mean, you learned sign language just to talk to me, then you did all those things to try and make me stop ignoring you, and you even punched that guy at lunch for me..._ He bit his lip. _I still don't understand why you would do all of that for me. It's not like I'm special or anything..._

For a moment, Kageyama paused to think about it.

Why _did_ he do it? He'd never been the type of person to go out on a limb for somebody else, let alone learn a whole other _language_ just to speak to them. His mom had always scolded him before, telling him to be more considerate in order to make friends. This went _way_ beyond that, though.

But he didn't really have to think at all, did he? The answer was everywhere he looked: It was in the way he smiled, the way his eyes lit up with excitement, the way his fingers moved when he played. It was in the way he coaxed him into a duet he'd never thought he'd achieve, and the way he looked when he was happy, or sad, or angry. _Everything_ about Hinata was his answer.

How could he possibly say he wasn't special? He had changed everything without even trying. He was a miracle, and Kageyama wished he could scream to the whole world how amazing he was. He deserved the entire universe, and more.

 _It's... you,_ he told him eventually, clutching at the damp grass with his fingertips. It felt a bit like exposing his innermost self, to speak such true words out loud. _It's everything about you, I think. I just... really wanted to be around you, from the moment we met. Does that make any sense?_

Hinata beamed at him so brightly, he almost had to look away... but it was still painfully beautiful. _I think it makes perfect sense! I feel the same way about you._

As Kageyama blushed at the words, the redhead turned his face to the sky with a thoughtful exhale, blissfully missing his flustered reaction. _You know, Kageyama... I get the weirdest feeling things are about to change: I just can't tell how..._

 _Well..._ _If it's the two of us, I'm sure we can handle anything_ , Kageyama told him, recovering his composure.

 _Because we're a team, right?_

 _Yep._ He turned his head and stared up at the moon through the camellia branches. _We're... the best team._

* * *

 **A/N:** I know they have horrible backstories, I'm sorry! (๑ १д१) I needed to for their character development, but _gahh_ it hurts.

The song involved in this chapter would be Blumenlied (Flowersong), Op. 39, by Gustav Lange. Suga helped Kageyama adapt a violin version for the duet, but I couldn't find a good one irl, so you can listen to both the violin and piano versions and imagine them together instead... ╥﹏╥

Ik this A/N is getting long, but I'll also be out of the country from June 10th to June 18th, so updates will be stalled until around June 22nd! Thank you all for understanding~


	12. Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso

**Chapter Twelve**

 **-❤- Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso -❤-**

* * *

As the weeks passed, Suga and Daichi worked Kageyama and Hinata to the bone. Every day after class, they would undergo rigorous duet practice, on top of their other classwork and Hinata's insisted-on extra practice sessions in the mornings. Kageyama was so exhausted, he felt like he was sleepwalking between classes. Hinata fell asleep everywhere—even on the floor—and both of them were often reprimanded for drifting off.

It was approaching November, and the trees had begun to change, dusting the ground with their sunset-colored leaves. They couldn't give practicing a rest with the competition so soon, so they puttered onward with empty engines, napping any chance they got. It was easier with heating circulating through the school, making everything toasty warm.

Using his backpack as a pillow, Kageyama was lying underneath a table at breakfast after one early morning practice when Yachi approached him. Without opening his eyes, he could hear her kneel down and gently rap the tabletop with her knuckles. He wanted badly to ignore it and go back to sleep, but Yachi was too nice to be rude too, so he peeled his eyelids open and squinted up at her. "Yes?"

"Sorry to wake you." She sat cross-legged on the floor and smiled at him. "I just wanted to see what your plans were for the Winter Solstice Ball."

"The what?" Kageyama grumbled in confusion, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and trying not to yawn. He could already feel his consciousness trying to slip away again.

"The Winter Solstice Ball." Yachi retrieved a small navy blue flyer from her bag and handed it to him. "It's one of two of our school's annual formals. The orchestral majors play music with help from some of the other students, and there's lots of food." From the way her eyes sparkled, Kageyama could tell she loved the event. "Everyone dances, and at the end of the night, there's fireworks and a bonfire."

"Ah... I didn't even know about it," he mumbled, handing her back the paper. "It's December twenty-first?"

"Yeah. It's right before everyone leaves for break." She shoved the flyer back in the depths of her bag and beamed at him. "So, I was wondering if you would be willing to help out with the music. They've filled up every other guest slot save for violinist, and I thought maybe you'd be interested. You don't have to play the whole night: only a couple songs."

"I... I don't know." Kageyama rubbed the back of his neck, wincing as it cracked in protest. He was still a little too tired to think clearly. He envied Hinata, who had a free period that morning and was able to sleep in. "...What do I have to do, exactly?"

"You just have to show up at the start of the dance, play a song or two with the orchestra, and that's it!" Yachi exclaimed—loud enough to wake him up all the way. "Takeda-sensei asked me to look for someone to fill the spot, and I figured you wouldn't mind the extra practice. You always seem to be off in the music room."

 _Because Hinata makes me,_ Kageyama thought with a grimace, but didn't say aloud. "Sure... I guess that's fine with me."

"Excellent!" She stood up so fast, she almost gave him whiplash. "They'll have a violin ready for you! You're a lifesaver!" She grinned and waved at him before bounding off like a cheetah, settling cheerfully beside Shimizu at the end of the breakfast line.

She was almost as sunshiney as Hinata. Everyone was _way_ too energetic at this school. It only made him feel even more exhausted.

With a weary groan, Kageyama collapsed onto his backpack and slung an arm over his eyes. _A ball, huh? It's the day before my birthday, too..._ He rolled onto his side and frowned down at the linoleum floor tiles. _A school dance... Does that mean we're supposed to bring dates?_

His face grew unbearably hot as an image of Hinata's smiling face instantly flashed through his mind, and Kageyama smacked himself on both cheeks—perhaps a bit too hard. _What are you thinking?! There's no way I can ask him! No way in Hell! He'd find out that I... that I..._ He covered his face in mortification. _Nope. Never happening. No way. No way, no way, no way! No. Way._

But despite his brain's insistence, his heart still skipped a beat at the idea.

* * *

The rest of the day, Kageyama couldn't so much as look at Hinata without his face exploding red. The very thought of voicing his embarrassing feelings aloud made him want to throw up. He really wasn't sure why they were called nervous _butterflies_ , because he felt more like a swarm of angry giant hornets was stinging at his insides.

Luckily, Hinata had somewhere to go during lunch, so Kageyama was left with a little time to compose himself. He rested his head against the cool tabletop and tried to calm down, but his head was spinning in circles. As much as he tried to deny it, he really, really, _really_ wanted to ask Hinata to the ball.

But, of course, he _couldn't_. There was absolutely no way he could confess... The thought still made him nauseous. He'd never even had a good friend before: how was he supposed to deal with having a _crush_? It was achingly embarrassing even to think about.

"Kageyama?"

How did people deal with these horrible feelings? Love was supposed to be 'a great journey into the unknown' or 'the meaning of life' or whatever, but it was starting to feel more like an endless roller-coaster with _way_ too many sudden drops and sharp turns.

"Kageyamaaa, are you listening?"

Dammit. Why did stupid Hinata have to make him fall for him, anyway? Being in love was utterly _unbearable_.

 _"Kageyama_!"

Kageyama's head shot up with a gasp, and he found Nishinoya staring at him with an impatient frown. "Geez, you were really out of it. What, not sleeping well?" He collapsed in the seat across from him, resting his elbows on the table. "Where's Hinata?"

"Um, Hinata— Yes, um—" He cleared his throat, trying in vain to force the blush from his face and look impassive. "Uh, he's... off doing something else right now. Did you need something?" _Smooth: Very smooth._ His mom hadn't been kidding when she told him his acting was like a blind man playing darts. _God_ , he wanted to kill himself.

Noya stared at him as if he were going crazy—which he very well might have been. " _Okaaaay_ then... Well, I just wanted to see if you'd seen Sugawara around. I've got some papers for him from Takeda." He studied Kageyama's face suspiciously. "But... I've got a feeling you've got something you're keeping secret."

Kageyama nearly choked. "Wh— What?" He laughed nervously. "Me? Hiding something? What are you talking about?" He prayed his tone wasn't as guilty as it sounded.

"I can _tell_ you are." Noya poked him between the eyes with a wry smile. "Come on; spill it!"

"Gah..." Kageyama grimaced. "Okay, _fine_." He locked his fingers together and leaned forward so no one else would hear him, casting a furtive glance around the table. "If you had, say... someone that you maybe sort of... well, _liked_ , and you wanted to ask them to... _something_ , then what would you do?" He coughed nervously. "I'm, uh, asking for a friend..."

"Uh-huh... sure thing," Noya hummed disbelievingly. "My answer is: I would just ask them. If you have just twelve seconds of bravery, you can do pretty much anything. That's all you need." He sat back with a shrug. "But, hey, I mean, maybe your 'friend' thinks differently.

"Anyway, I gotta go." He stood up and shot him a wink as he walked away. "I would say to just tell him to go for it. Good luck!"

Kageyama sagged, banging his head against the table in the process. _'Just go for it'? Easy for him to say..._

* * *

The music room door was closed when he reached it, and Kageyama paused outside, clenching his fists and trying to control his erratic breathing. _Twelve seconds of courage, twelve seconds of courage,_ he kept repeating, trying to quell the shaking in his legs. _Just twelve seconds, and this will all be over._

Before he could run away, he pushed the door open, trying to keep from fainting. He could manage for twelve seconds, right? Just twelve seconds...

As he spotted Hinata's slight frame behind the piano, Kageyama shoved down his humiliation and opened his mouth to deliver whatever stupid speech he managed to think up on the spot. But he paused when he heard the familiar, muted sounds of crying, noticing how Hinata's shoulders shook with silent sobs.

His trembling fingers played a few notes, but were unable to finish and fell limp against the keys.

"Hi— Hinata?" Kageyama crossed over to him, sitting at the end of the bench carefully.

Hinata took a shaky breath, removing his hands from the piano to wipe at his eyes. As he dried them, Kageyama finished a few notes for him, waiting until he would meet his eyes. _What's wrong?_ His jaw clenched. _Was it those guys again? I swear I'll—_

Before he could finish the threat, Hinata grabbed his hands and lowered them gently. _No..._ He closed his eyes, and more tears slipped down his cheeks as he gripped Kageyama's wrists tightly. _I'm alright. I just miss my family... Sometimes, when it's bad, I just... need to cry. I'll be fine in a bit._

After a long moment of silence between them, Kageyama raised a hand to brush the tears from his face. _Hang on, okay? I'll be right back._

When Hinata nodded, he got up and combed the music room with his eyes until he spotted what he needed. Pushing sheet music off of it, he opened the black case to reveal the practice violin within. It was glossy smooth and perfect, and he pulled it out with determination.

'Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.' His mom was always saying that. Kageyama had never really understood it before, but now, he figured that it meant sometimes, the best words weren't _words_ at all. With music, he could tell Hinata everything he wanted to say, and more.

'Music in itself is healing.' He could finally remember the whole quote. 'Music in itself is healing. It's an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are all touched by.'

Whoever said that couldn't have been more right.

* * *

Kageyama played for him Saint-Saëns' Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, and although Hinata didn't play along, he imagined his distinct piano notes resonating in the back of his head. Even though it wasn't a true duet, the music still filled him with the familiar warmth that came from playing alongside him.

Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso—a song written for a friend; and now, played for one.

By the time he'd finished, Hinata's expression had turned radiant once again, his smile filling the room with light—the sun appearing from behind the clouds. He clapped gently as Kageyama returned the instrument to its case, feeling a lightness in his chest that left his fingertips tingling.

 _'If you have just twelve seconds of bravery, you can do pretty much anything.'_ Noya's words replayed in his mind. _'That's all you need.'_

 _Alright..._ With a deep breath, Kageyama turned to face Hinata, digging his fingernails into his palms. He sat down beside him again, wiping the sweat off his clammy palms. _Twelve seconds... Only twelve seconds... Here we go._ It was then or never.

 _Hinata... I have something I want to say._ His fingers were trembling from how nervous he was, but Kageyama pushed on anyway. _I don't know if you know already, but there's this thing coming up... A dance._ He could feel a cold sweat beading down his neck. _I was wondering if you maybe... wanted to go... with... me..._

He let out the breath he'd been holding, feeling as if his heart was about to explode right through his chest. It hammered against his ribs so hard, it almost psychically hurt. But his twelve seconds of stupidity had been finished: he couldn't take the words back, and now, it was Hinata's turn to speak.

The fear of what he would say was almost too much to bear. Kageyama wanted to close his eyes—avoid seeing his answer as long as possible—but at the same time, he couldn't close his eyes. He hadn't even confessed, and yet... he _needed_ to know the answer.

What would Hinata say? He half expected him to run away: to slap him, or look at him with fury.

But when he finally met Hinata's gaze, his eyes were shining brighter than a million stars. There wasn't anger, but immense joy. His breath caught at the sight of it. Kageyama had never seen him look this happy before, and it was utterly _dazzling_. He was the sun and the stars and the whole damn galaxy all at once—and when he took his hand, his entire world fractured.

 _I'd love to go with you._ His shy smile set millions of sparks alive in Kageyama's chest. _I... was beginning to think you'd never ask._

He was unable to do anything but squeeze his hand, but Kageyama's tongue burned with the words he knew he could never breathe aloud. _I'm so in love with you, it hurts._

* * *

 **A/N:** Hahaha this is utter agony, isn't it? Sorry, not sorry.

As you all probably guessed, I'm now back from my trip! (Spoiler alert: Netflix in the UK is _wayyyy_ better.)

Anywayyy, the piece featured in this chapter would be Saint-Saëns' lovely Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso. There are many beautiful versions of it, but of course, this would be the good 'ol piano/violin version, so go give it a listen.


	13. Liebesfreud

**Chapter Thirteen**

 **-❤- Liebesfreud -❤-**

* * *

"Mom, how did you say you tie this, again?" Kageyama stood in front of the mirror with a tie in one hand and his cellphone in the other, cursing as he struggled with the infernal piece of white fabric. "How do you— _Gahhh_." He gave up and threw the thing on the floor, stomping on it once for good measure.

"Tobio," his mother scolded, "tell me you did _not_ just throw that silk tie on the ground. Pick it up!"

Grumbling, he did as told, but instead of putting it on, he tossed it onto the bed. "Okay, okay, it's on." He undid the top button of his stuffy gray dress shirt, scowling at himself in the mirror. His mom had sent a pristine navy blue suit over earlier in the day, but Kageyama hadn't expected it to be so _horrible_. "Why do I have to wear this stupid suit again? It's so _uncomfortable_..."

"Stop complaining: This is the kind of thing you wear to a school dance. Are your cufflinks on?"

"Yes, they're on," he lied, plucking the forgotten jewelry from his side-table. He unclasped them and fumbled to slide them through the button holes one-handed, holding the phone close to his ear so his mom wouldn't hear. "Can you just tell me what I'm supposed to do one more time?"

She laughed. "Tobio, I swear... You're as oblivious as your father was when it comes to these things." He could picture her rolling her eyes as she adjusted the phone. "Alright, listen carefully this time: You have to open the door for them every time, and I mean _every time_. It's gentlemanly to hold the waist when dancing— _no_ lower than the waist—and make sure you're at least one foot apart."

"Ah... okay..." He tried to take mental notes as the last cufflink slid into place.

"And make sure to keep them entertained," his mother continued matter-of-factly. "It's okay to make conversation during a dance, and try to never leave time for gaps of silence. Although, don't ever talk with your mouth full, and _make sure to smile_." She said the last part harshly. "I mean it: no scowling or glaring."

"Okay, okay," he grumbled, a bit annoyed that his mother knew him so well. "Geez... I promise I'll smile." The clock in the school's entrance hall chimed faintly in the distance and Kageyama swore, struggling to pull on his fancy black shoes. "I've gotta go now: It's almost eight o'clock."

"Okay, sweetie! Have a great time!"

As she hung up, Kageyama let out a sigh of relief and tugged the last shoe over his heel. 'Make sure you smile.' What was he, _six_? She was just too much for him to handle sometimes. Besides, he was sure it wouldn't be hard to smile around Hinata. As long as he didn't let the nerves get to him, Kageyama was positive it would all be fine.

Hinata had already agreed to go: the hard part was over, he told himself.

 _Now_ he just had to make sure he didn't screw it up...

* * *

As he entered the packed dining hall, Kageyama squinted through the crowd for Hinata, but failed to spot his telltale red hair among the crowd: He must've not arrived yet. Although, it was hard to say for sure, considering how many people filled the space.

The chairs and tables had all been cleared away to make room for a large stage, where the orchestra majors sat tuning their instruments. The whole floor was covered in students, decked out in fancy dresses and expensive tuxes. As he elbowed his way through the crowd, Kageyama was grateful for his mother's insistence that he dress fancy.

Edging his way around groups of giggling girls in huge gauzy dresses, a frowning Kageyama went in search of Yachi. Perhaps by the time he'd delivered on his promise to play a few songs, Hinata would be there. He really should've insisted on picking him up instead of agreeing to meet at the dance.

"Kageyama! Kageyama, over here!" Yachi waved from the stage, saving him the trouble of looking for her.

She jumped down as he approached, nearly tripping over her dress' long silver skirt in the process. Stumbling, she gathered it up in her arms to reveal bare feet underneath, beaming up at him brightly. "Hey! I'm so glad you made it." Blowing wisps of blonde hair out of her face, she took Kageyama by the hand and quickly dragged him up the stage steps. "We're just about to start!"

As she lead him to his seat, Kageyama stared out over the floor, but he still didn't see Hinata anywhere. He picked up the violin with a sigh and thanked Yachi before she scurried off to a spot in the back beside Shimizu, who was tuning her harp. Where the hell was Hinata?

"Attention, please! Is everyone ready?" The designated student conductor was standing at the front of the stage, holding a black baton, and everyone nodded at his words. "Alright then, on my signal."

Kageyama barely had a moment to collect himself before they began, and he launched into the first measure. Their opening song was Shostakovitch's Waltz No. 2. Simple enough. He hadn't had much to time to look over the sheet music, but he was familiar enough with the song to play it confidently.

It felt as if no time at all had passed before they began the second song: Tchaikovsky's Valse Sentimentale. Kageyama launched into it, feeling a rush of adrenaline from the feeling of chasing song after song. He looked out over the dancing students, but again failed to locate a spot of red amidst the silver and white. One more song, and he'd go search for him.

Being in an orchestra was harder than he'd expected. The songs all felt like they lasted only a single moment, and his fingers ached, though they somehow never faltered through the melody. The music almost blended together in his head, and it was impossible not to imagine Hinata playing alongside him as he always did, creating a clashing double-piano crescendo.

The third song was especially difficult; Handel's Sarabande. Although its pace was slower and gave him a chance to catch his breath, Kageyama was already worn out from the breakneck speed of the first two, and his fingertips were rubbed raw. But at least this was the last song.

Its ending felt like taking a breath after being underwater for too long, and Kageyama set the violin down as if it burned him, running a hand through his hair as the conductor called for the next song and another violinist came by to take his place. Thank God he hadn't majored in orchestra.

Yachi mouthed a quick thank you to him as he passed her, and Kageyama gave her a tired nod, shaking his feet awake as he stepped off the stage and the orchestra began the next song, de Senneville's Marriage d'Amour. The piano introduction only reminded him more of his need to find Hinata, and he cut through the edges of the crowd, combing over the floor with his eyes.

Everyone was wearing silver and white—likely in celebration of the Winter Solstice—and the room seemed colder without Hinata's warmth. But then Kageyama spotted a glimpse of him through the crowd. His eyes roamed over the dance floor, not seeing him, and Kageyama dodged around the snack table and cut around a group of loudly chatting girls to reach him.

Breathlessly, he tripped to a stop behind Hinata and tapped his shoulder.

He turned, and his eyes lit up with a smile that made the room warm again.

* * *

They tucked themselves away in a corner beside the snack table to avoid the dancers, and Kageyama fidgeted as Hinata looked him up and down. _Wow, you actually own a suit._ His lips twisted into an amused grin. _I'm a bit surprised._

 _Hey, what's that supposed to mean?_ Kageyama couldn't help but smile as he nudged Hinata with his shoulder.

He laughed and pushed him back. _I'm kidding, I'm kidding! It looks good on you._ As if the words weren't detrimental enough, he smiled in a way that made Kageyama's heart feel like melting chocolate. He tried not to blush as he adjusted the collar of his shirt nervously.

 _Thanks... So do you._ It was true: Hinata looked much better in a suit than he did. Kageyama couldn't look at him for too long without the risk of overheating like a steam engine. His palms were sweating like crazy. Even though they were there _together_ , he didn't feel any less nervous—maybe _because_ they were together.

But he tried to remember his mother's lessons on cordiality and forced himself to meet Hinata's eyes. As he did, a soft waltz began—Liebesfrued. 'Love's Joy.' It was light and cheerful; the perfect song for dancing.

As several people around them joined the dance, Kageyama swallowed back his anxiety, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment to gather his courage. Now was his chance. Time for another twelve seconds of courage. _Do_ y _ou maybe... want to dance?_

Hinata's face flushed and he looked askance, hands fidgeting in uncertainty. _You mean... together?_ He bit his lip, and for the first time since meeting him, Kageyama saw uncertainty in his eyes. _Are— are you sure?_

 _Of course I'm sure._ He took his mother's advice and smiled, offering a hand to him. _Why wouldn't I be?_

For a moment, Hinata stared at his hand in bewilderment and indecision. Kageyama's heart nearly dropped, thinking he would refuse... but then, he looked up into Kageyama's eyes and accepted his hand. _I would love to._

Heart in his throat, he escorted Hinata to the dance floor—and not a single soul glanced their way. Kageyama's hands once again trembled as he touched Hinata's waist, fearing the euphoria coursing through his veins was as visible as the pianist's fiery red hair. Being that happy was almost embarrassing.

But when Hinata's hand slid up his arm, he forgot about everything. He was standing so close, Kageyama could smell his shampoo—distinctly mango-scented. This was definitely breaking his mom's one-foot rule, but he didn't care. Instead, he pulled Hinata even closer; so close, he could see the world in his eyes.

* * *

He didn't know how to dance, but almost like playing music, Kageyama's feet found the rhythm easily. Not that he would've noticed if he was off-beat, anyway. With Hinata standing so close, his breath brushing against Kageyama's neck, it was _impossible_ to think. All of his nerve endings were on fire.

What had his mom said? He was supposed to say something... But how was he supposed to do that when he was literally _speechless_? What could have to say that was _possibly_ important at that moment? He wasn't sure if his brain was capable of speech at that moment, anyway. He'd probably just start inhaling endlessly if he opened his mouth.

Only when the music had ended did Kageyama realize they'd stopped moving, and he felt as if his head were in the clouds as a loud boom drew their attention to the windows. Outside, brilliant explosions of color blossomed across the ebony sky, burning their too-bright afterimages behind Kageyama's eyelids.

 _Fireworks_. Yachi had mentioned something about that earlier.

As the crowd _ooh_ ed and _ahh_ ed, pushing closer to the windows for a better look, Hinata's arm fell away. Kageyama reached out for it again without thinking, grabbing his wrist as light burst across the floor. The redhead glanced back at him through the bright haze and smiled. Instead of pulling away, his hand slid down, locking their fingers together.

More colors erupted from outside and Hinata turned to watch them, but Kageyama couldn't tear his eyes away from him. Light burned inside his own chest, brighter than any firework.

Words still burned in the back of his throat, aching to claw their way out.

 _I'm in love with you, Hinata Shōyō._

 _I'm so in love with you, it hurts._

But he didn't say them. Instead, he squeezed Hinata's hand and watched rainbows of light play across his skin.

Love wasn't the worst secret to keep—but it was definitely the hardest.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Eeek_ I squealed so many times writing this, you have no idea. Also, Kags' mom is officially the best character ahem.

There were many songs mentioned, but the key piece would be Fritz Kreisler's Liebesfreud (Love's Joy). The others mentioned would be Dmitri Shostakovitch's Waltz No. 2, Tchaikovsky's Valse Sentimentale, and George Frideric Handel's Sarabande.

(It's also mine and Shōyō'sbirthday today, so if you have the time, wish us both a happy birthday! ^~^)


	14. La Vie en Rose

**Chapter Fourteen**

 **-❤- La Vie en Rose -❤-**

* * *

After the fireworks ended, there was a large bonfire in the school's front lawn, just as Yachi had said. Kageyama had never been one for fires—smoke and stifling heat and all—but he didn't mind it when Hinata was there. It was the opposite of stifling standing beside him. Kageyama only wanted to be closer, not farther away.

His whole body was buzzing with nervous energy as they walked through the hallway afterward. Other people ran past them, giggling, but Hinata went slow, looking out the windows at the sky, and Kageyama matched pace with him. He didn't even realize how far they'd traveled like that until Hinata had stopped and turned to him. _This is your room, right?_

 _Ah... Yeah._ He was too distracted for his own good. He really needed to sleep, before he did something stupid. But he couldn't stop himself from asking, _Do you want to come in?_

Even though he knew it was a terrible decision, when Hinata agreed, he opened the door and let him inside. As the door closed, sweat broke out along his neck and Kageyama tried not to let the alarm he was feeling show on his face while Hinata looked around. _Your room is bigger than mine._

He wandered from the door to the desk and smiled, fingering a stray piece of sheet music. _La Vie en Rose? I wouldn't have expected you to play a song like that._ Before Kageyama had a chance to respond, Hinata moved across to his bed to stare at the corkboard of pictures on the wall behind it.

Most of them were of him and his dad, holding twin violins or flying kites together at the park. His mom was in some of them, too, laughing as his father twirled her around the backyard or smeared cake frosting on her nose.

They'd all been taken well before the accident: The board was meant to serve as a reminder of their happiest times. It had been hanging in their kitchen before, but his mother had sacrificed it for the move, saying Kageyama would need the memories more than her while he was away from home.

It used to make him sad, but with Hinata standing there smiling at it, the sorrow somehow disappeared. Kageyama lingered against the door, scared to go any closer as his delicate fingers ran over a picture of Kageyama's father, grinning with his violin. Hinata had long, thin pianist fingers, just like his mother. Kageyama hadn't noticed before.

He was so _pale_ , too. The way his red hair curled around the nape of his neck made his skin seem to glow. Kageyama found himself wanting to run his fingers through it—like touching fire. Would it burn him? Or would it be comfortably warm, like the sun?

Ohhh, this was bad. This was really, _really_ bad. If he kept thinking that way, Kageyama feared he would do something he'd regret. But at the same time, another part of him didn't care one bit. He could regret nothing where Hinata was concerned. He wanted to be reckless.

And in the end, he couldn't control himself.

" _Hinata_." Kageyama grabbed his wrist, and when Hinata turned, a question written in his eyes, he pulled him forward by the hand and into a kiss that was long overdue.

* * *

He tasted of spearmint toothpaste and something else sugary sweet, and that taste—combined with the dizzying smell of mango-scented shampoo—left Kageyama's knees trembling. Even more so when Hinata's wrist weakened against his hold, fingers latching onto his arm, almost in desperation.

Kageyama's brain screamed its resistance, but he ignored it, sliding one hand down to Hinata's waist, pulling his other arm forward so they were almost chest to chest. Hinata's free hand grasped a fistful of his shirt, and he freed the other to clutch Kageyama's shoulder. His hands were shaking, but still, he only pulled himself closer.

It was completely true, what they said about fireworks. An entire _parade_ was marching its way through Kageyama's chest, an orchestra's music crescendoing against the walls of his heart. And even though they were already touching, he wanted even more of Hinata—to somehow hold all of him at once—and his chest _ached_ with the want.

This feeling transcended their duet: another type of music, entirely. It was the sound of breathing and the smell of Hinata and the feeling of their linked hands and the fact that _it was finally happening_. It was a beautiful symphony of warmth and colors that made him feel like they were the center of a supernova, space shattering all around them.

They'd left earth. Surely they weren't standing in his room, but floating in pure cosmic heat—the center of an exploding star.

He could taste the universe on Hinata's lips.

The world could burn for all he cared, as long as this breathtaking explosion could continue. Where he ended and Hinata began was beginning to disappear: It didn't matter what was left.

How had he waited so long for this? It was as if all his doubts and insecurities, about _everything_ , were disappearing. The last piece of the puzzle—one he hadn't even realized was missing—had been slid into place, and it opened his eyes to all that he'd been lacking before. It was utterly dazzling in its brightness.

Hinata really was all the pieces.

There was something solid striking his knees now, and Kageyama pushed against it without thinking—caught up in the burning sensation of the kiss, not wanting to distract himself from it. As his knees struck the frame, they both collapsed onto his bed, where reality came crashing back down painfully.

 _Dammit_. They'd landed on Kageyama's stupid _violin case_. It was still where he'd discarded it earlier that day after class, left forgotten underneath the covers—until that annoying moment. The interruption had banished the supernova, and he desperately wanted it back.

As he stood, pulling Hinata up with him, Kageyama ripped the blanket back to reveal the offending object with a scowl of irritation.

Only when his fingers were resting against the smooth black plastic (and not against Hinata's skin) did the full gravity of the last few minutes strike. He'd kissed Hinata. He'd blown all his boundaries and _kissed Hinata_. And... Hinata had _kissed him back_.

Kageyama felt encompassed by a full-body blush, and he ripped himself away from both the bed and Hinata with a startled cough. "Ah, oh—Uh— I'm sorry— I didn't mean to, um—" He tripped over his own tongue several times before Hinata, also flustered, offered some reassurance.

 _No— It's fine! I, um— I really— I didn't mind it... that much..._ His fingers stilled and he grimaced slightly. _Ah, I mean... it wasn't bad! It was... It was really... almost... I mean— It was... good._

For a moment, they both just stared at the floor in silent mortification.

Kageyama wanted to curl up in a ball and _die_ —although that odd feeling of magic still lingered in his chest, and despite the embarrassment—above all else—he really, really, _really_ wanted to kiss Hinata again. His lips were still burning from their first kiss, and he was sure they'd be scorching hot if he touched them.

And why _should_ he be embarrassed, anyway? It was obvious there was _something_ between them—something anyone with eyes would notice. Kageyama had been struggling to ignore it for so long because of his stubbornness towards love, and even _he_ couldn't deny it anymore.

But... while he'd harbored a crush on Hinata for a long time, he had yet to truly express his feelings.

Perhaps he'd assumed asking him to the dance would be enough—that _kissing him_ would be enough—but he had never outright told Hinata that he liked him. His straightforwardness had blindsided Kageyama to the fact that _Hinata had absolutely no idea he was in love with him_.

And no matter how much he wished he could go on denying it, Kageyama knew he needed to tell him.

* * *

He couldn't tell him. Even as he walked him back to his room, both of them lingering in an awkward silence, Kageyama couldn't bring himself to say the words that had been plaguing him for so long.

Hinata didn't seem to be able to say anything either, ducking into his room without meeting his gaze, only offering a timid cough in farewell.

Dammit. He'd _royally_ fucked up this time.

Kageyama swore under his breath as he turned to head back to his room, wishing he could travel back in time and take everything back. He'd just broken their stable relationship into a million pieces, all because he was an idiot who couldn't control himself. The high of their kiss had been depressingly short-lived.

What was he supposed to do now? There was no way they could go back to the way things were. He'd kissed Hinata: _Hinata had kissed him back_. That meant he liked him... right? There was absolutely no ignoring _that_.

This was all just too much for Kageyama's brain and heart to handle. His chest was full of light and happiness, while his head was a mass of rain clouds and darkness. It was ridiculous. He should've been _celebrating_. He'd kissed the person he liked, and his feelings were likely mutual—but his damn constitution was too weak for him to confess.

He felt a bit like smashing his head against a wall—but then somebody did it for him.

Without warning, someone grabbed him from behind and slammed his face against the wall—or tried to, at least. Kageyama raised his arms at the last second, bracing himself so he didn't take any damage. "What the fu—" he started to swear, but then someone spun him around, punching him square in the jaw.

He stumbled, reeling from the hit, and found three people surrounding him. He faintly recognized two of them as the ones who had been throwing things at Hinata: the ones he thought he'd already dealt with. Apparently _not_ , because now they were all attacking him.

One of the boys lunged for him, but now that he was prepared, Kageyama easily swung under his arm and delivered a sharp kick to his sternum, sending him sprawling with a loud groan. He silently thanked his mother for the millionth time for signing him up for judo when he was a kid as he squared off with the remaining two, cracking his knuckles.

"Trust me: you guys _don't_ want to fight m—" He didn't have a chance to finish the warning before they came at him again, the right one aiming for his kneecaps. Kageyama managed to sidestep his blow, but failed to avoid the other boy as he barreled into him full speed, taking them both down.

They rolled across the floor, kicking and clawing at each other viciously until the other boy came out victorious. He pinned Kageyama down with his knees and elbowed him roughly in the nose, sending stars exploding across his vision. He cursed, but was unable to lift a hand and stop the flow of blood streaming down his face. Instead, he spat in the boy's face. "Get off me!"

"This is what you get for thinking you can—" He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence, because Kageyama kneed him between the legs and pushed him off harshly. He pushed himself to his feet, but before he could deliver a finishing blow, the second thug appeared and punched him in the stomach, leaving him breathless.

Damn. He'd forgotten about him.

Wiping blood from his nose, Kageyama straightened and groaned. "Seriously? Two against one is hardly"—he dodged a lunge from the guy he'd kneed in the crotch and gritted his teeth—" _fair_."

Guess they didn't want to talk. Before they could come at him again, Kageyama decided to even the odds and clocked the first guy straight in the face when he ran at him, delivering a knockout blow. One against one was much better odds.

He and the remaining boy faced off, and Kageyama tried to ignore the pain in his face and the bitter taste of blood in his mouth. "You _really_ shouldn't have picked a fight with me. I was already pissed at you for what you did to Hinata, but now?" He shook his head with a scowl. "I'm going to _kill_ you."

"I'd like to see you try it."

The boy had all of two solid seconds to sneer at him before Kageyama punched him straight in the throat. He gasped and coughed, spluttering in surprise, and Kageyama slammed him against the wall, pinning him there with his forearm. "I just did."

He pressed his arm against the boy's windpipe and glared into his eyes. "Tell anyone about this, and you're done." He paused. "Oh, and if you ever go near Hinata _again_ , I'll _really_ kill you. We clear?" Kageyama waited for the boy to nod before he let him go, watching him crumple to the ground, wheezing. "Good."

Straightening his suit jacket, he pinched his nose and walked back to his room, rubbing his sore jaw irritably.

Damn. He'd definitely have bruises in the morning.

* * *

 **A/N:** THE KISS HAS BEEN ACHIEVED. OUR BOY IS GROWING UP ╭( ･ㅂ･)و

The song featured this chapter is the lovely Édith Piaf's "La Vie en Rose," violin version~


	15. Clair de Lune

**Chapter Fifteen**

 **-❤- Clair de Lune -❤-**

* * *

Kageyama wore a hoodie the next day to hide the dark purple bruises blossoming across the bridge of his nose and jaw, but people still shot him incredulous looks as he strolled down the hallway, scowling. He'd gone to visit the school nurse that morning, and while he'd luckily avoided breaking his nose, a few of his ribs had been bruised.

How was he supposed to explain the injuries to Hinata when he saw him? Things were already awkward between them, and now _this_. He'd already gotten suspicious looks from all the teachers, but the boys must've been too scared to tell, because he had yet to be expelled.

"Kageyama!"

Turning at the familiar voice, Kageyama spotted Nishinoya darting down the hallway towards him, a small spiky-haired fish swimming through the sea of taller students. As he drew closer, his eyebrows rose and drew together in a familiar expression that clearly stated, _What the fuck?_

"Dudeee, what happened to you? You look like someone elbowed you in the face."

Kageyama flashed back to the fight and laughed nervously—and a bit too loudly. "Aha, _what_? I just... fell! Twice...?"

It was about as believable as a Flat Earth seminar, but Nishinoya only shrugged carelessly. "That sucks. Have you seen Asahi around here anywhere? He's as tall as _Tokyo Tower_ , but I somehow managed to lose him."

"Nope. Haven't seen him. Maybe you could go look in the library?" Kageyama suggested, frantic to send Nishinoya on his way. The longer he stood out in the open, the easier it was to run into Hinata—or the headmaster.

"Oh, I didn't think of that!" Nishinoya grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. "Thanks, dude!" He took off down the hallway again, and Kageyama let out a sigh of relief, pulling his hood lower over his face. His nose was stinging so bad, he felt like punching something.

He wanted nothing more than to go back to bed and bury himself under blankets, but he still had to go to class, no matter how much he dreaded it. Just thinking about seeing Hinata again after the events of the previous night left his stomach churning.

What would he do? What would he _say_? And, most importantly, how would their relationship change after what happened?

In the end, Kageyama couldn't bring himself go to class. He snuck over to the library instead. It was in the westernmost wing of the school, far away from prying eyes, and he tucked himself away somewhere nobody else would ever go: the nonfiction section.

He just _couldn't_ face Hinata. The doubts were harder to banish than ever, so he hid from them instead. He pulled his hood over his eyes and curled up behind a tall stack of books, listening to the storm that had begun outside. They couldn't seem to escape the rain recently.

Kageyama sighed and rested his chin against his chest, staring at the carpeted floor blankly. He hadn't been able to get any sleep because he'd been so worried about how things would play out with Hinata. He couldn't even call his mother to ask for help, because he wasn't sure what she would say about the whole 'being in love with a boy' thing.

That was another problem, entirely...

"What do you think you're doing in here?"

His head shot up so fast, Kageyama nearly whacked it against the bookshelf. A bespectacled, stern-faced woman stood at the edge of the stacks, frowning at him. When she saw his bruised face, her scowl only deepened. "Ditching class? You're not one of the usual ones."

"I— I'm sorry." He tried to get up, but his head spun and he was forced to still. "I was just... trying to sleep," he grasped at the first excuse that came to mind. "It's quiet here."

The woman's face softened a bit, and anger disappeared from her features. "Alright... Well, clear out soon and get to your next class." She grabbed a few books off the shelf, shooting him a sympathetic look before ducking out of sight.

Kageyama sighed again and rolled his head back to stare at the raindrops on the window. He couldn't put it off forever, he supposed. He'd have to face Hinata eventually, and it was pitiful to be hiding like he was. Kageyama knew he needed to steel himself, go back to class... and _confess_.

As soon as he was standing beyond the door to the classroom, Kageyama felt his heart drop into his stomach. There was still a few more minutes before class would start, so the room and hall were empty, but that didn't make it any easier to push the door open and walk inside.

Kageyama let out a breath of relief to find nobody in his line of sight, but it was short-lived as he turned to the row of seats to find himself face-to-face with Hinata. He immediately stumbled backward in surprise, but the redhead grabbed his wrist and spun him back around before he could get too far away.

 _Why have you been avoiding me?_ he demanded. _After what happened yesterday, you can't just ignore—_ His fingers stilled mid-sign, eyes widening as he stared closer at his face. _You... You're hurt. What happened?_ His fingers brushed over Kageyama's bruises gently, barely a whisper, and he shivered.

 _I'm fine. Don't worry._ He moved Hinata's hands away from his face, biting his lip. _I'm sorry I avoided you... We really need to talk._

 _Not until you tell me what happened,_ Hinata insisted stubbornly. _How did you get hurt? Tell me._

 _I... can't._ He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. _Just... Just trust me, alright?_

Before he could protest any further, the bell rang, and Hinata nailed him with a warning look as he reluctantly headed for his seat. _This isn't over. We'll talk later._

Even though the words weren't particularly threatening, they still felt like an ultimatum.

After class, Kageyama waited outside until Hinata appeared, pulling him into an alcove and out of sight of the hall. His heart was still in his throat, but he knew they needed to talk. And somehow, he'd have to avoid telling Hinata about the fight.

Unfortunately, that seemed to be harder to do than he'd thought.

 _So, are you going to tell me what happened?_ Hinata stared up at him expectantly.

Somehow, with those wide, honest eyes staring at him, Kageyama couldn't bring himself to lie. _Alright, so maybe I got into a fight... But I promise I'm fine. Just a little bruised._

 _You call this a little?_ Hinata touched his face again, forehead creasing with worry as Kageyama winced. _It wasn't... because of me, was it?_

 _No,_ he said immediately, gently brushing his hands away. _It was entirely my fault, and I took care of it, so don't worry._ He tried to smile. _I'm tough. My mom made me take Judo for five years growing up. I think she was worried about me because I used to be so scrawny._

Hinata looked doubtful, ignoring his attempts at humor. _It looks serious... Are you sure you're okay?_ A tear slipped down his cheek, and he quickly wiped it away, coughing faintly into his sleeve. _After— After you avoided me, I thought... I thought maybe you hated me._

 _Don't be ridiculous._ Kageyama grabbed his hands, squeezing them tightly. _I was the one who kissed you in the first place, remember? I thought you were going to hate me, not the other way around._ He shook his head firmly. _I could never hate you. Never. I only avoided you because I was scared of how things might change between us._

 _I'm scared too..._ Hinata bit his lip. _But... I'm not scared of you._

Kageyama's heart skipped a beat as their eyes met.

He _was_ scared. The way Hinata made him feel absolutely _terrified_ him. But at the same time, he didn't really care. Or, rather, he accepted the fear.

He accepted the fear, and he kissed Hinata again.

During practice with Suga and Daichi that evening, they couldn't stop glancing at each other. Hinata kept smiling and looking away, and it set Kageyama's heart on fire each time. He still had so much he wanted to say, and it almost hurt to have to wait.

The words that used to burn felt like sugar on his tongue. He ached to say them aloud instead of keeping them bottled up inside. His chest sang with them, and he caught himself in an almost-smile too many times to count. Luckily, they performed just as well as always, so Suga and Daichi never caught on to anything.

He let them off after practice without a hitch, and as soon as he and Daichi were gone, Kageyama burst out laughing. Hinata's eyes were almost watering as he beamed at him. _That was so exciting! I feel like we're keeping some great secret._

Kageyama sat next to him on the piano bench and grinned. _You haven't even heard my biggest secret yet._

 _Oh, really?_ Hinata's eyes sparkled. _What is it?_

Growing serious, Kageyama took his hands once again, steeling himself. He wanted Hinata to know that what he what he was about to say was one-hundred percent true. It felt like a huge burden was being lifted from his chest, and he hadn't even spoken yet.

"I'm in love with you." He gasped out a laugh, unbearably giddy as the words finally left his lips. He signed them again, to make absolutely sure Hinata understood. _I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you for a long time._ He squeezed his hands tightly. _I... I love you._

The words were so freeing, he nearly wanted to cry.

Hinata's mouth slowly formed a wobbly smile, and he wiped tears from his own eyes. _I— I'm in love with you, too! I was always too afraid to say anything, but after you kissed me, I—_ He covered his mouth, but Kageyama could still see the enormous smile he tried to hide. _I'm just... really happy._

 _I only wish I'd told you sooner._ Kageyama brushed the fire-red hair back from his ear hesitantly, feeling as if his chest would explode when Hinata leaned against his hand. His heart ached, and every nerve in his body tingled as if he'd been struck by lightning. The feeling of relief at knowing his feelings were returned was immensely overwhelming.

Hinata's skin was cool underneath his fingertips as he moved them down to his lips, still finding it hard to believe he wasn't dreaming. It didn't feel real, but he knew it was. He could feel Hinata's breath against his hand. It was all almost _too_ real.

It felt as if he'd been waiting his whole life for this one moment. He couldn't bring himself to care what his mom or anyone else would say. As long as this feeling wouldn't go away, he didn't care.

 _Hinata... go out with me?_ Kageyama brushed his face again, pressing their foreheads together, and Hinata exhaled shakily at the contact, sliding his fingers down Kageyama's wrists. His skin sang from the touch, and he felt more alive at that moment than he ever could playing the violin.

Hinata still smelled like mango shampoo, and his fingers faintly trembled as he signed against Kageyama's shoulder. _...Yes._

Kageyama walked him back to his room, and by then, the sun had already set, casting the long hallways in darkness. There was nobody there to see their linked hands, and nobody to see Kageyama as he pulled Hinata into an alcove by his door.

He ran a thumb along his cheek, and for once, he had no trouble smiling.

Hinata's eyes seemed to glow in the darkness as he reached out to trace words against his palm. _I've never seen you look like this before. Your face changes when you smile._ He traced the space around Kageyama's lips with a pensive frown. _All the lines disappear. You look... less mean?_

 _Huh?_ He frowned against his fingertips. _Hey, what's that supposed to mean?_

 _Ah, see! You're way scarier this way!_ Hinata's eyes danced with laughter as Kageyama made a face. _Don't worry, don't worry! I like you, no matter what._

 _I like you, too._ His humor died away as a bout of seriousness struck him, and Kageyama tilted Hinata's face up so they were eye-to-eye. He took in his long lashes and the gleaming happiness written in his irises and tried to convince himself again that it was all real. _I really, really like you. So much, it's almost scary._

Hinata grinned teasingly. _What, like your face?_

 _Oh, just shut up and kiss me already._

Their lips met again, and for once, everything felt perfect. Kageyama wished he could live in that one moment, forever.

* * *

 **A/N:** Ahh I feel so satisfied... May you all enjoy this fluffiness ^-^

This chapter's featured piece is Claude Debussy's Clair de Lune (Hinata's fav piece, and one of mine huhu)~ Hope you all enjoyed (' ∀｀)ﾉ⌒ *:･。


	16. Ballade No 1 in G Minor, Op 23

**Chapter Sixteen**

 **-❤- Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23 -❤-**

* * *

The rest of December went by in a blur. The days got colder and colder, and the practices got much harder as Suga worked them both to the bone in preparation for the upcoming competition. Christmas break was only a distant memory, and Kageyama already missed the lazy days he'd gotten to spend back home.

The competition was only a week away, and he was beginning to have second thoughts. Was it stupid to think they stood a chance after practicing for only a few short months? Even if Suga and Daichi said otherwise, what were the skill levels of the other contest participants? Kageyama had no way to gouge how difficult it would really be.

Although his confidence was leagues above what it used to be, he couldn't help but be doubtful.

 _Are you sure we should do this?_ he asked Hinata after their morning practice, frowning as he packed away his violin. _I'm not sure I can handle it..._

 _Well, I'm sure you can._ Hinata smiled at him reassuringly from the doorway, where he leaned with his arms crossed. _We're the best team, remember?_

He grimaced. _Yeah... But still. Don't you ever get nervous about this sort of thing?_ He was beginning to feel like Hinata had more courage than him, which was both embarrassing and inspiring. _You know, butterflies, a tight feeling in your chest, sweaty palms?_

Hinata shrugged. _Not really. I've never had stage fright before._ Kageyama could tell he was holding back a grin. _Why, are you scared or something?_

 _No!_ He felt his face reddening and pushed past Hinata and through the doorway so he wouldn't see. Shut up! _Let's go, or we'll be late to class._

Hinata jogged to catch up to him. _Aw, come on, I was joking!_ He lightly nudged Kageyama's shoulder, his smile warm, as usual. When he grabbed Kageyama's hand, he felt his heart skip a beat and his brain blacked out for a second. He almost tripped over his feet, barely managing to correct his stride at the last second to avoid disaster.

God, the saying 'love-struck' was painstakingly accurate. Every glance and touch from Hinata felt like a physical blow that left his head spinning and his heart racing. He was literally _terrified_ of the way Hinata made him feel, like he would break down in either hysterical laughter or tears any second.

Kageyama had been too scared to kiss him since his confession in the music room, and Hinata was too timid to say anything. He really wanted to, but... for some reason, just _holding hands_ was a million times more embarrassing now that they were actually together—forget _kissing_.

 _You're making that weird scrunchy face again,_ Hinata told him, poking him lightly between the eyebrows. The touch brought him back to reality, and Kageyama squeezed his chilly hand lightly, basking in the fact that he was still holding it. Holding hands with _Hinata_ somehow made the simple thing into something magical.

 _Sorry. I was just thinking._ It was easy to smile looking down at him, and Kageyama felt his chest unclench. _I think we should skip practice and go on a date tonight._

Hinata looked at him with a slightly shocked flush—which Kageyama thought made him look a dozen times cuter. _Stupid... What are you saying so suddenly?_ He swung their joined hands in a nervous back-and-forth motion that made Kageyama smile even more.

 _This is me not being nervous,_ he replied, stilling the redhead's restless hand with his own. _I just don't think we've really gotten to go on an official first date. My mom says a good first date is the basis of any great relationship. She said she knew she was going to marry my dad the instant he made a treasure hunt for her on their first date._

 _A treasure hunt?_ Hinata laughed. _Well, it's definitely original. You're not going to do that to me, are you?_

Kageyama grinned. _No. I'll come up with my own original 'treasure hunt.'_

 _Hmm... Why does that scare me?_

* * *

After class, they headed to lunch, where Kageyama spent most of the time struggling to come up with a good first date idea while Hinata studied for a Comp test. He'd made himself sound confident, but he had utterly no clue how one actually went about planning a date.

He wished his dad were still around to talk to about this stuff. His mom always said he was probably the most romantic person in the world, and he didn't even mean to be. She would joke that he had both an old soul and a childlike disposition, which made him appreciate the world in ways that others didn't.

None of that really helped Kageyama, of course. He was about as romantic as a piece of driftwood.

Hinata returned from dumping his tray and poked him on the shoulder. _Ready?_ As Kageyama got up to follow him to the door, he raised an eyebrow questioningly. _What have you been thinking so hard about?_

 _Wouldn't you like to know?_ As if he would tell Hinata he was shit at date-planning. No way he would admit defeat just yet.

Luckily, Hinata simply rolled his eyes and bumped their shoulders together. _Okay, dork. Are we still skipping practice tonight?_

 _Absolutely!_ Kageyama replied instantly. He was sure he would have it figured out by then... Probably. _Just meet me by my room before dinner. We can sneak away easier while everyone's eating._

 _It's a plan, then._ Hinata paused to cough into his sleeve. _We don't have to climb the fence again, do we?_ He made a face. _I thought I was gonna die last time._

Kageyama laughed. _I'll see if we can find another way out. I think we may be able to get out through the gardener's shack._ He frowned in thought as they rounded the corner leading to their classroom. _Although, I'm not really sure what his hours are... We could get caught if we go that way._

 _Oh, my god. Sometimes, I honestly can't_ —Hinata paused to cough again— _I honestly can't believe..._ His fingers stilled mid-word, and his face turned even paler than usual.

 _What?_ Kageyama had walked a few feet ahead of him, but he stopped when Hinata did, laughter dying off into concern as he noticed the redhead clutching at his chest. _What happened?_ He gravitated a step closer, raising a hand towards him uncertainly. _What's wrong?_

 _I'm fine..._ Hinata leaned against the wall for a moment, coughing into his hand. _I think I may be getting a cold, is all..._ As soon as his hands finished the sign, his shoulders shook with a sudden spasm and he coughed violently into his hand; a rough, wet grating sound.

 _This seems like more than a cold,_ Kageyama said worriedly, resting a steadying hand against his shoulder. He brushed his fingertips over Hinata's cheek before he rested the back of his palm against his forehead. _Your face is really pale, and you feel like you might have a temperature. How long have you been feeling sick?_

Hinata tried to answer, but his face twisted into a grimace and he lapsed into another coughing fit. Kageyama's hands couldn't even hold onto his shoulders from how violently they were shaking, and before he could reaffirm his hold, Hinata bent over at the waist, gasping for air between coughs.

"Hinata!" Kageyama gave up on signing and reached out for him as other people in the hallway began to watch on with mild concern. "Hinata, what's happening?!"

As his fingertips grazed Hinata's shoulders, he let out one last rattling bark of a cough and swayed. He stumbled, striking the wall with his shoulder as he struggled to breathe. His face had turned redder than his hair, and he was clutching at his chest, almost in desperation.

Kageyama's own chest seized with panic, but it was like the world was moving in slow motion. Before he could move to grab him, Hinata's eyes rolled back and his legs collapsed underneath him.

* * *

Kageyama sat in the nurse's office with his head between his knees and his heart in his throat.

He felt so _stupid_. Hinata had been coughing over the last month, but he had never considered it could be anything other than just a _cough_. Why hadn't he said something earlier? If he'd just realized sooner, then maybe this wouldn't have happened.

"You must be Kageyama." The school nurse appeared from behind the drawn curtain and smiled at him as he jolted upward. "Relax. Hinata is doing fine for now."

He caught his lip between his teeth. What the hell did _that_ mean? " _For now_?"

She came to sit down beside him, but her hand on his shoulder failed to offer him any reassurance or comfort. "He hasn't told you anything, has he?" She let out a long, sad sigh. "Of course he wouldn't have..."

"What do you mean?" He raised his head to look up at her, and she shook her head tightly.

"I really thought he would've confided in _you_ , of all people. He's always talking about you."

Kageyama jolted as realization struck him. " _This_ is where he always goes when he says he has to be somewhere." He looked at the nurse in confusion. "What... What's going on with him? I don't understand. Is he sick or something?"

"I suppose... you could say that." She sighed again, staring faintly out the window across the room. "I really shouldn't be telling you this, but... Hinata has a long history of health problems. Ever since he was a boy, he's been easily susceptible to sickness." She glanced back over at him. "That's how he lost his hearing—a severe infection when he was young."

"He—" Kageyama stopped and ran his hands through his hair, leaning his head against the back of his chair. "He didn't tell me any of this..."

"He never tells _anyone_ ," the nurse told him, squeezing his shoulder lightly. "I know you probably want to blame yourself, but it's not your fault that he didn't tell you. He wants to be like everyone else and live life without barriers: He wants to be able to keep up with you."

She shook her head with a slight, somber smile. "You know how he is—he'd never let something keep him down. He's supposed to use an inhaler, but he never does, no matter how much I scold him about it. He 'loses' it almost every other day."

"So... what? He'll be fine if he uses an inhaler from now on?"

Her smile fell. "I'm afraid it's not that simple. I put an oxygen mask on him, but his condition is severe. His lungs have always been weak, but I've never seen them get this bad. If he doesn't get better within the next twenty-four hours, I'll have to call the hospital."

Tears pricked at his eyes, and Kageyama quickly bowed his head so she wouldn't see them. "Is there... Is there a chance he could get better in that time?"

She smiled, but the look in her eyes contradicted her next words. "There's... a small chance." She got up and offered him a tissue from the counter, which he took silently. He couldn't stop the tears anymore, and he could care less if she saw them. He felt like the world was crumbling.

"Would you like to see him?" she asked gently.

"If— If that's alright." Kageyama dried his eyes, and the nurse nodded.

She took the balled-up tissues from his hand and pulled back the curtain for him. "I'll give you some time alone."

* * *

Somehow, Hinata had lost all his usual vibrancy. His skin was cold when Kageyama touched his hand, and his face was pale and listless. Even his fire-red mop of hair seemed dimmer against the cot's scratchy cotton pillowcase. His breath came out in weak rasps, fogging against the oxygen mask secured around his head.

He looked so fragile this way. It was unnerving to see him without a goofy grin, looking up at Kageyama with bright eyes full of humor or tossing him stupid notes in class. Rain battered against the windows, and he remembered them laying out on the wet grass and stargazing.

 _I get the weirdest feeling things are about to change: I just can't tell how..._

" _Dammit_..." Kageyama closed his eyes, bringing his forehead down to rest against their joined hands, trying to keep a hysterical laugh from bubbling up his throat. Hinata had been painfully right when he'd said that, only Kageyama hadn't anticipated just how much things would change.

Meeting Hinata, falling in love with him, and all the things in between—it all felt like fate, and fate always worked itself out, right? But how could he know? There was nobody there to tell him that everything would be alright.

Kageyama had never been a religious person, but that didn't stop him from praying to any god that would listen.

 _Let him wake up... Let him wake up..._ He wanted to scream the words until the sky till his throat burned.

 _Please, just let him stay with me._

* * *

 **A/N:** YOU GUYS TOTALLY CALLED IT SO NOW I FEEL EVEN WORSE HAHA

I mean I did warn there would be angst... But I promise things will work out! (probably hahaha). Please don't kill me. ｡ﾟ(*´□`)ﾟ｡

Anywayyyy, the song featured in this chapter is Chopin's Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23. (Some of you may know it from Your Lie In April, AKA THE HORRIBLE HEART-WRENCHING TRAGEDY OF AN ANIME. But of course I had to pick a sad song for the first angst chapter.)


	17. Loneliness

**Chapter Seventeen**

 **-❤- Loneliness -❤-**

* * *

For a moment, Kageyama wasn't sure where he was. His neck ached, his cheek rested against something soft, and his right arm was entirely numb.

He straightened slowly, wincing as his muscles stretched out painfully. His hand was intertwined with Hinata's, their fingers tangled. Rain still thrummed against the windows, harder than before, and Kageyama rested his head against the bed-sheets as the memories came flooding back in.

Hinata was paler than before, and his breathing seemed much more labored, his exhales barely a wisp of fog against the oxygen mask. Judging by how dark it was outside, Kageyama must've slept well into the night—which meant Hinata's window of time was getting shorter, and he wasn't getting any better.

The storm outside was raging as frantically as the beating of his heart, and Kageyama checked his phone, wincing at the harsh light. 4:37 AM. It had been nearly fifteen hours: Only nine remained, and Hinata didn't look as if he would recover before they expired.

"Dammit..." Kageyama rested his head in his hands and let out a ragged breath. " _Dammit_."

It felt like he was drowning. Everything good had been flooded in an instant, and he was struggling to keep his head above water. How had everything been destroyed so fast? One minute he was happy, and the next instant, he was completely crushed.

It was so _unfair_. Hinata deserved this the least of anyone. He had always been a drop of golden sun in pitch black darkness, and now, he was beginning to dim and fade away. How could the world be so cruel?

Water pooled in his palms: Without realizing it, Kageyama had begun to cry.

He wiped the tears away and squeezed Hinata's hand, staring at his closed eyelids and praying that they would just _open_ and everything would go back to how it was. Back to hours of practicing and banter and hand-holding and skipping class—back to _anything_ but this.

But no matter how hard he wished for it, Hinata's eyes didn't even flicker. He lay there, slowly deteriorating, and Kageyama had no choice but to watch it happen helplessly.

* * *

He wasn't able to get any more sleep that night, too overcome with anxiety to relax. By the time the sun peeked its head over the horizon, turning the stormy sky into an angry gray haze, Kageyama had taken to pacing the small nurse's office, leaving sneaker treads across the clean white floor.

When the nurse herself finally appeared, she was startled to find him awake, jumping when he jolted to a harsh stop in front of her. "Goodness... You're awake, I see. I couldn't bring myself to wake you up last night."

"I think you should call the hospital," Kageyama said, ignoring her words. "He's not doing any better."

She sighed forlornly, pushing past him to peer behind the curtain. "I tried that already. I checked in on you two around midnight and decided it would be best to move him. But all the power to the school's been cut off by the storm. We've got no WiFi and no other phone lines, so we can't contact anybody from the outside."

"What are we supposed to do, then?!" Kageyama erupted, returning to his relentless pacing in an attempt to lessen the anxiety weighing down his chest. "There _must_ be some other way to reach them. Or have somebody run into town! We can't just do _nothing_."

"Relax, dear." The nurse stilled him by placing a hand against his shoulder. "The roads are closed due to severe flooding, but I've alerted the rest of the staff, and they've assured me they'll find a way to contact the hospital as soon as possible. For now, we just need to monitor Hinata and try to keep his condition from worsening any further."

She squeezed his shoulder. "Everything will be fine. Alright?"

"Alright..." Kageyama agreed reluctantly, even though he wanted to argue. "Is... Is there anything I can do to help?" He felt so useless just sitting around.

The nurse smiled gently. "The best thing you can do is be here for him. I've already cleared you from your classes for today, so you can help me watch after him."

Somehow, the words helped deflate the balloon of dread in his chest, and Kageyama let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Thank you... _Thank you_."

"It's no problem." Her smile thinned, voice turning nearly silent with her next words. "You seem to make him very happy, Kageyama... I hope he decides to fight for you."

* * *

"Kageyama? Are you asleep?"

Kageyama started upward, rubbing his eyes and coughing as he inhaled too fast. "Wha— I'm— I'm awake!" He squinted up at the hazy figure standing in the half-darkness beyond the parted privacy curtains, tired eyes struggling to adjust. " _Yachi_? What— What are you doing here?"

The blonde smiled nervously and stepped past the curtain, revealing a small wrapped lunchbox. "I brought you some food. It's lunchtime, so I thought you might be hungry." Her eyes fell on Hinata as she handed him the box, and she bit her lip. "Sugawara told me what happened... I'm so sorry I didn't check in with you earlier."

"It's fine." Kageyama ran a hand over his face and tried for a smile. "Thanks for coming. I'm just... I'm still trying to take everything in."

Sitting in the chair next to him, Yachi stared down at their still-linked hands and shook her head softly. "It must be hard to see him like this. He's usually so... _bright_."

"Yeah... He is." Kageyama felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to cry again and quickly shoved the emotion down. "Thank you for taking the time to stop by... I'm sure he would appreciate it."

"Of course." She patted his shoulder in a way that was awkward, but still reassuring. "Kiyoko— I mean, Shimizu wanted to come along, too, but she got caught up talking with a professor." She smiled slightly. "But if there's anything you need, anything at all, _please_ don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you..."

Kageyama felt the tears welling up again, and this time, he couldn't stop them.

Yachi nearly had a panic attack when he started crying, and he was a little touched by her obvious alarm. "Sorry... I'm just... Everything's falling apart," he got out, wiping his eyes furiously. "I'm not sure about _anything_ anymore. I don't even know if we'll be able to do this duet."

"Hey, I'm sure everything will work out in the end." Yachi hugged him tightly, and he was too tired to care. "I'm not very good at comforting people, but... I think you should just focus on what's most important. Let your heart guide you, and the rest of the pieces will fall into place.

"As for the duet and the competition, I wouldn't worry. You guys have practiced so much, and even if you pull out, I'm sure Takeda-sensei can find someone else to enter." Her arms tightened around his shoulders. "You have something _good_ with Hinata. Don't let it go that easily."

* * *

That night, after begging the nurse to let him stay the night again, Kageyama sat in the chair by Hinata's bed and played for him. He wasn't sure if it was a real song or just a bunch of jumbled-up notes, but the familiar push-and-pull of the bow across the strings calmed him more than anything else could.

It helped clear his head, and imagining Hinata's quiet piano notes echoing in the back of his head filled Kageyama was a sense of warm reassurance that left him smiling as he finished. The wood of the violin was cool as he returned it to the case, smooth and comforting in his hands, despite not having been polished in days.

With a sigh, Kageyama closed the case clasps and rested his head against the back of his chair, staring up at the dark ceiling. It was so weird, sitting in total quiet. Even though Hinata's words were always silent, they filled his head with noise, and for that noise to be absent was almost... _unsettling_.

Glancing back over at Hinata's face, Kageyama studied his still eyelashes and pale cheeks and bit his lip. "Why won't you just _open your eyes_?" he whispered aloud, taking his cold hand and holding onto it tightly. "I can't stand this anymore..."

It was too hard to see him like this, knowing there was a possibility that something very bad could happen at any moment. Nobody knew when the storm would end: The roads and phone lines could be out of commission for _days_.

What would they do if they couldn't reach the hospital at all? What would happen to Hinata?

It was all too painful to think about. Kageyama just wanted everything to go back to how it was before. They hadn't even gotten to go on a real first date—their very own treasure hunt. What if... they never got the chance?

 _No! I can't think like that!_ Kageyama smacked himself on both cheeks and firmly steeled his resolve. _Like Yachi said: everything will work out in the end. Just focus on what's most important... and follow my heart. I need to stay strong for him._

He stared down at Hinata and felt his chest clench. He really just wanted to cry again, or scream, or break things out of frustration. But acting out would solve nothing: At the end of the day, Hinata would still be unconscious and sick. All he could do was be there for him, as the nurse had said.

But his head was full of memories that made the pain even worse. They cycled through his head like images on a film reel. When they'd gone stargazing and lay out on the hill underneath a willow tree, and he'd half-confessed.

 _It's everything about you, I think. I just... really wanted to be around you, from the moment we met. Does that make any sense?_

 _I think it makes perfect sense! I feel the same way about you._

Or after the dance, when they'd kissed in his room. When he'd confessed in that alcove outside their classroom, and how terrified he'd been. _I could never hate you. Never. I only avoided you because I was scared of how things might change between us._

 _I'm scared, too. But... I'm not scared of you._

Their voices haunted him, like Hinata's phantom piano notes.

 _A treasure hunt? Well, it's definitely original. You're not going to do that to me, are you?_

 _No. I'll come up with my own original 'treasure hunt.'_

He wanted to cover his ears to stop the flow of sound, but just like that Polish poet said, "You can close your eyes to reality but not to memories."

Instead, he let the noise overwhelm him and cried.

 _If it's the two of us, I'm sure we can handle anything._

 _Because we're a team, right?_

 _Yes. We're the best team._

* * *

After the nurse had left for the night, Kageyama closed the privacy curtain and crawled in carefully beside Hinata, holding him close and listening to his steady heartbeat. He closed his eyes and focused on the even sound, taking comfort in its quiet strength.

It was almost like a song, all gentle pulses and soft, subtle rests. He could imagine building a composition out of it, matching notes to the sound. It would be beautiful—just like Hinata.

Kageyama's breath caught and his eyes flew open.

 _A composition._

He could _write_ _a composition_ for Hinata. _That_ could be his grand gesture—his own 'original treasure hunt.'

It would distract him from the long, agonizing wait, and when Hinata finally woke, it would cheer him up. He'd written a few pieces before in Comp, so Kageyama was certain he could pull it off. He could probably have it done in a day, if he worked hard enough.

It was a grand gesture by musicians' standards, and the perfect treasure hunt. The idea was so perfect, in fact, he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it before. _"Where words fail, music speaks."_ If he couldn't _say_ how much Hinata meant to him, he could _play_ it. It was literally _perfect_.

Kageyama squeezed Hinata's shoulders tightly once more before he slipped out of the bed. He left the curtains open and snuck out into the hall to get a notebook.

* * *

 **A/N:** I'M SORRY IT'S SO SAD I KNOW ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚ I PROMISE IT GETS BETTER EVENTUALLY

Anyway ahem... the song featured in this chapter is Loneliness, by Adrian von Ziegler. Hope you guys liked the chapter (and don't want to kill me).


	18. Cold

**Chapter Eighteen**

 **-❤- Cold -❤-**

* * *

As the storm raged on, Kageyama threw himself into the work of creating his composition. Between classes through the day, he would sit by Hinata's side working on his song. He helped the nurse check the phone lines every half hour, but the power was still out each time.

The rain was so heavy, Kageyama couldn't even see out the window. The thunder was unbearably loud, so he wore wear headphones to drown it out as he sat curled up on the floor beside Hinata's bed, staring at the notebook in his lap. For some reason, writing an original composition seemed to be 1000 times harder when it wasn't a school assignment.

He frowned at the paper. "This is stupid... Why is it so _hard_?"

Someone pulled out one of his earbuds. "Still writing, Kageyama?"

He jumped, turning to find the nurse standing behind him. "Oh... yeah." He closed the notebook and stood up to give her access to Hinata's oxygen mask. "Sorry. I was hoping to have a breakthrough, but..."

"No luck?" She sighed. "We haven't had any luck reaching the hospital, either."

Kageyama frowned. "Still nothing? What about the roads?"

"Nothing. They're more flooded than before."

 _Dammit_. "What are we going to do?" Kageyama was no doctor, but even an idiot could tell Hinata needed to get to a hospital. His breathing was a strained fit of wheezing and coughing and his face was as pale as snow, but his skin burned to the touch. It was terrifying watching him degrade like that.

The nurse sighed. "There isn't much we _can_ do. I'm trying my best to keep Hinata stable, but whatever illness he has is too fast to catch up with. I've never seen something like this. It's tearing his lungs up from the inside-out." Her lips pursed. "He needs a hospital."

"There must be some way we can reach them," Kageyama urged. "I'll go down into town myself, if that's what it takes. I can't just sit here doing _nothing_."

"Calm down." The nurse held him back as he made for the door. "I'll go talk to the headmaster again. Just... _stay here_ , and don't do anything rash."

She re-secured Hinata's mask and left, leaving Kageyama to sit back down in frustration. It was the worst feeling in the world, watching someone you cared about lying sick in bed and being unable to do a single thing to help them. He felt like Tantalus, forever being tormented by something just out of reach.

Kageyama squeezed Hinata's hand and rested his head against the sheets, wanting to cry again. A composition didn't matter if Hinata wasn't there to hear it—to play it with him. How could he work on something _heartfelt_ when his heart felt like it was withering up in his chest?

For once in his life, music failed to offer Kageyama any reassurance.

* * *

Suga stopped by later that night to check up on him, and Kageyama sat with him in silence, quietly listening to the storm still raging beyond the window. He'd hated the rain before, but now it felt like it was mocking him: The only thing standing between him and Hinata's salvation.

"Kageyama, I..." Suga began carefully, interrupting the silence. He paused before trying again. "You can pull out of the competition. Nobody would blame you. I think it might be for the best."

"It's too late now to find a replacement," he responded quietly, staring at his hands instead of Suga. "The competition is only a few days away."

"But with Hinata—" Suga cut himself off and let out a tight breath. "Kageyama... you can't compete like this. You haven't practiced in days, and you won't be able to in the foreseeable future, even if Hinata recovers before the twelfth." He rested a hand on Kageyama's shoulder. "You don't know how this might... _affect_ his playing."

"Don't you _dare_ say that." He finally cut a glance at Suga, feeling a spike of anger as he shook off his hand. "I don't care about his damn _playing_ right now. How could I?!" He rested his head in his hands and fought back the choking feeling of tears. "I... I don't want to disappoint anyone, but I just— _I don't know what to do_."

" _None_ of us know what to do," Suga said softly. "Nobody was expecting this, but that's how life _is_ : Unexpected things will get in the way of what you want, and you'll have no idea what to do. But you need to know that you're _never_ alone, Kageyama. Me, Daichi, Shimizu, Yachi: _everyone_ is here for you." His voice softened. "You need to learn how to share your burdens."

When Kageyama didn't respond, Suga sighed before pushing back his chair. "I'll leave you alone, then... but please just keep in mind what I said."

Kageyama waited until his footsteps had disappeared to slump in his chair, hugging his arms and staring out the blurred window. Learn to share burdens? How could he do that when Sugawara didn't understand a single thing about the two of them? He had no idea how truly hard this was.

But Kageyama didn't have time to think about any of that. He needed to worry about helping Hinata. He'd have to hope everything else would fall into place...

* * *

The nurse hadn't returned by the time dinner ended, so Kageyama locked the nurse's office and curled up in the chair by Hinata's bed. The storm created a crashing symphony of wind, slanting rain, and thunder, sending its anguished howls echoing through the halls like tormented ghostly wails.

It was fitting for the situation. Nothing was bright, because the sun was missing.

Kageyama closed his eyes and tried not to break down. He'd never cried so much in his life. It made him feel even more helpless.

Suddenly, a boom of thunder shook the ground so hard, Kageyama jumped. He fell back of his chair, and as he did so, Hinata's eyes flew open.

Kageyama scrambled to right himself, grabbing Hinata's hand in an instant. "Hinata! You— You're awake!" He was too excited to sign, but when he realized Hinata would probably be too delirious to read his lips, he settled back down into the chair and released his hand to sign instead. _How do you feel?_

Hinata closed his eyes for a moment before answering. _Bad... Where am I?_

 _The nurse's office._ Kageyama hesitated. _Don't you... remember what happened?_

 _All I remember is... my lungs feeling like they were gonna explode._ Hinata shook his head before his face crumpled and he broke down crying. He grabbed Kageyama's hand and held onto it like a life preserver. Kageyama squeezed it, quickly crawling in beside him to hold Hinata tightly.

 _I'm scared, Kageyama,_ he said, his tears soaking into Kageyama's sweatshirt. _I'm really, really scared... I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this. I didn't think anything would happen! I thought I could handle it, but I— I can't._ He squeezed Kageyama's arm. _I... don't want to go..._

The words shattered him in two, and Kageyama held Hinata and cried into his hair. _You're not going anywhere. Don't say things like that._ He closed his eyes and squeezed him, as if doing that would somehow keep him there. _An ambulance is on its way,_ he lied, _so please just stay strong._

Hinata gripped his hand tighter. _What about the competition? Everyone is counting on us. What will we do?_

 _Don't worry about that,_ Kageyama told him, struggling to hold his composure. _You know what, I didn't tell you... I made you a treasure hunt. I'm writing a song for you. An original composition._

 _A song? For me?_ Hinata wiped his eyes, which were beginning to lose focus. His forehead burned against Kageyama's cheek like a lit furnace. _A treasure hunt..._ His lips formed an unsteady smile. _Does that mean... you'll marry me when you finish it?_

Kageyama's composure broke, and he hid his anguished expression behind Hinata's shoulder. _Yeah. I'll finish it, and when you're better, we can play it together. And after that..._ His lips wobbled and he squeezed Hinata tighter. _After that, I'll definitely propose to you._

 _That would make me... really happy._ Hinata squeezed his hand once more before his grip slackened, and he fell unconscious again.

* * *

Kageyama stayed up through the night writing, but he could barely see the notebook page through the blur of his tears. Hinata's words replayed over and over in his mind, and he just couldn't seem to stop crying. The music notes were jumbled, both on the paper, and in his head.

He promised to finish it, but he couldn't find inspiration anywhere. He was wallowing in a void of black, unable to string together a single measure. He'd written compositions for class before, but coming up with a song completely on his own seemed impossible then.

He sat cross-legged at the end of Hinata's bed and glanced up from the single line of notes to watch his chest rise and fall unsteadily. _A rhythm, like that..._ He turned back to the paper and scrawled out a note, then another. _A rhythm, like a heartbeat..._

He completed the second line, hearing the stanza resonate in his head. _Up and down, then a drop... then it starts again, steady, slower._ He could hear the notes appearing in his mind as he wrote. A song like a heartbeat: something he and Hinata could share, no matter what.

Kageyama kept writing, but the thunder outside seemed to be condescending louder and louder, until he was forced to put the notebook down. The rain thrummed against the windows like angry fists tapping against the glass, and the wind howled in somber tones through the halls.

It seemed like the storm would go on forever. Hinata wouldn't last forever: He was getting worse by the hour, and the rain didn't seem to be letting up. He'd never seen a storm this big. It seemed almost foreshadowing. The rain had begun only shortly before Hinata's condition had begun to deteriorate, and both were steadily growing worse.

If they didn't reach the hospital soon... Kageyama couldn't even bear to think of it.

He rested his forehead against the window and traced the raindrops with his eyes, staring past them at the hill where he and Hinata had gone stargazing. The rainwater had created a muddy river running down it, pooling into the flooded road.

 _A flooded river..._ Kageyama sat on the bed and turned back to the notebook. _A river of sound, and a heartbeat. I'll write our story, and we can play it together, Hinata..._ He reached out and squeezed his hand. _Just hang on for a little longer._

* * *

The rain raged throughout the rest of the night, and by the time Kageyama woke from a fitful sleep, he felt half dead. The wind howled so loud, it was nearly unsettling, and he'd begun to develop a headache.

He ran a hand through his hair and straightened up, cracking his neck. Sleeping in a chair definitely wasn't something he would ever get used to. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to do it for much longer. If only the stupid storm would let up...

It really seemed like it would never end. It had been four whole days of nonstop rain. How was that even possible? A storm of such magnitude was rare so far from the coast. And since one hadn't happened before, they had no idea how long it would last.

Kageyama wasn't superstitious, but surely this was a bad omen. He couldn't help but think so, especially with all the horrible waiting. The pain of seeing Hinata fading was beginning to turn unbearable. If they didn't reach the hospital soon, Kageyama feared he would break apart like glass.

For once, it really felt like he had no clue about the future. He used to know everything he wanted to do, a ton of goals and aspirations: a dream to be a pro violinist... But all of it seemed insignificant without Hinata there standing beside him.

* * *

 **A/N:** Wow this update took a while, but I hope you guys are enjoying the angst ヾ(〃ﾟーﾟ〃)ノ The song featured in this chapter is "Cold" by Jorge Méndez. I'll try to put up the next chapter sometime during the upcoming week~ ^-^


	19. Nuvole Bianche

**Chapter Nineteen**

 **-❤-** **Nuvole Bianche** **-❤-**

* * *

Kageyama lay in bed staring at Hinata's smiling message icon. He scrolled through the pictures they'd taken together, the screen glaringly bright in the darkness. He should've been working on the composition instead of feeling nostalgic, but the consistency of the storm was beginning to seriously unnerve him.

If he had to listen to the heavy rain berating the window any longer, he might go crazy. Not that looking at pictures of Hinata was going to keep him sane.

Sighing through his teeth, he tossed the phone on his desk and took to pacing the small room. He still felt so useless—and _angry_. Why couldn't everything just work out like it did in story books? Why did there have to exist a problem with no solution? What the hell was he supposed to do? He hated having no control.

"Dammit!" Kageyama kicked his desk in frustration, books and papers scattering in every direction. He threw the chair roughly across the room and it knocked over a lamp with a loud crash, glass shattering against the floor. The smashed lightbulb was exactly how his stomach felt, all twisted, broken, and _wrong_.

"Stupid..." He slid down the wall, kicking the books aside angrily. He hugged his knees and sighed shakily. "Why can't... Why can't things just go back to normal?"

How was he supposed to pour his heart into a composition when it was literally _breaking_? For once, music felt... meaningless. Everything he loved was falling apart. He was drowning.

* * *

After class, Kageyama couldn't bear to spend another long night in the nurse's office, so he wandered over to the music room. The door was ajar, and he felt his chest tighten painfully, almost flinching when he pushed it open.

Ghostly piano notes filled the air and Kageyama squeezed his eyes shut, pausing before stepping through the threshold and shattering the illusion. The usually bright room seemed dark and dismal with the storm, the piano closed and neglected.

Kageyama ran his hand along the lid, remembering Hinata's small frame bent over the keys. Rachmaninoff's Prelude echoed in his head, almost too real. He could nearly picture sunlight shining through the windows, turning Hinata's hair into a roaring flame.

"Kageyama?" Suga stood at the door, his brows furrowed together in worry. When Kageyama said nothing, he moved past the threshold. "What's wrong? Yachi was looking for you."

"Suga... I need help." Kageyama turned away to hide the tears he knew would fall and clenched his fingers against the piano. "I started this composition for Hinata that I thought would help, but..." His voice broke. "I just don't know what to do anymore."

"Hey, it's okay." Suga rested a steadying hand on his shoulder and Kageyama struggled to hold his thin composure together.

"I just... feel so lost," he muttered, brushing off Suga's hand and slamming a fist against the piano lid. "Everything is so... suffocating. I feel like I'm underwater and I can't go up for air."

Suga sighed pensively. "Kageyama... I know things really suck right now, but things work themselves out." He rested a hand on his shoulder until Kageyama finally gave in and turned around. "You just need to focus on something else for a while. What happened to that composition you were writing?"

"I'm almost done," he grumbled. He shook off Suga's hand again and crossed the room to peer out at the gushing rain. "No matter how hard I try, I just can't figure out how it should end." He pressed his fingertips against the foggy glass, watching the dissolving condensation. "What am I supposed to do now?"

Suga hesitated a long moment before speaking. "You... don't need to know what to do all the time," he said slowly. "Whatever happens, you just have to believe things will be okay." When Kageyama turned around again, Suga offered him a solemn smile. "Look inside yourself and find out what's really important to you. Whatever you decide, the rest of us are here for you."

Kageyama nodded hesitantly and Suga disappeared back into the hall. Once he was gone, Kageyama sat on the piano bench and rested his head in his hands, reflecting on the advice. _'Look inside yourself and find out what's really important.'_

 _But_ what _was_ really important? Music, success, his mom, his violin... _Hinata_.

What was drafting a stupid list meant to do? Remind him how badly his life sucked?

Or maybe... it was meant to show him the way.

The things he cared about were what always inspired him—so why couldn't they inspire him to write, too? Instead of thinking of bedridden Hinata, he needed to remember how he was when he was bright and full of life. Stewing in darkness would do nothing about any of the crap happening. He needed to stay optimistic—or at least try—for Hinata's sake.

A heart full of warmth... What could be more inspiring than that?

Kageyama hesitantly pulled open the piano lid and set his fingers against the keys, but didn't play. They were shaking with nerves, but the tremors ceased as he took a deep breath, relaxing back into the composed musician he knew himself to be. With his shoulders squared and back tight as a harp string, he felt less broken down.

This was the position he knew Hinata in so well: the position of the pianist. Strong, capable; unbreakable. Like this, he could focus without worrying about anything else. Like this, it was almost like Hinata was there with him.

The beginning of composition flitted through his head and as the first measure inwardly began, Kageyama pressed his fingertips lightly against the keys. The notes that had been escaping him for days were finally within reach.

Moments he'd shared with Hinata flashed through his head like snapshots as the new notes filled the air. From their first meeting, when Kageyama had run into him, to stargazing out on the lawn and dancing together at the Winter Solstice Ball—everything stung like a razor, but he took it all out on the keys.

He could almost feel Hinata's fingers against his; almost taste sugary sweet spearmint toothpaste on his breath. He could see them on the piano bench, sharing a secretive smile. You haven't even heard my biggest secret yet. His chest ached with the bittersweet memory. I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you for a long time.

Kageyama felt tears sting his eyes, but he kept playing through the anguish. He played the song violently and rawly, almost like he was attacking the piano.

He played it just as Hinata would've.

* * *

Kageyama ran through the hall with his notebook tucked tightly under his arm, nearly sliding across the polished floor in his haste. His violin case banged into his knees with every step and several teachers scolded him for going too fast, but he didn't care.

The song was finally finished. He'd slaved over it for hours—and skipped a few classes in the process—but it was finished and perfect. It was everything he wanted to say but didn't have the words for: It was the perfect treasure hunt.

While he knew it wouldn't actually solve anything, it still felt like it somehow lessened the burden weighing on Kageyama's shoulders. With this, he had a little control. Things didn't seem so hopeless anymore.

"Kageyama! Kageyama, wait up!"

Yachi was jogging after him pitifully, and Kageyama stilled to let her catch up. "Thanks. Your legs are really long." Breathing heavily, she blew strands of hair out of her face and took off her backpack. "I have something from Takeda for you."

Kageyama accented the packet she handed him and read it over with furrowed brows. "'Deadline for withdrawal...'" He shook his head and tried to hand it back to her. "I don't need this."

Yachi gave him that look he'd been getting a lot lately: caught between sympathy and pity. "Kageyama..." she began warningly.

He cut her off before she could get any further. " _I don't need it._ Hinata will recover before the competition: I know he will."

"It's only a few days away," Yachi protested hesitantly, still refusing to take the paper. "I hate to be negative, but if you can't make it, it will be impossible to find a replacement so last minute..."

At that moment, Kageyama really wanted to lose his composure and just blow up at her—but some part of his brain rationally knew she was right. What he was doing was selfish, but giving up on the competition meant giving up on Hinata: something he could _never_ do. Holding onto the thought that they would play his composition together there was ultimately his last shred of hope.

But he knew Yachi wouldn't give in, so he shoved the paper in his bag with a placating nod. "I'll... think about it."

She shot him a grateful look. "I'll tell Takeda you're considering it." She gave him a pat on the shoulder as she backed away. "I'll see you later. Hang in there."

Kageyama had to turn away to fight the tears trying to claw their way to the surface. "I'm really trying."

* * *

When he arrived in the nurse's office, the school had gone eerily quiet. The halls had completely emptied of students, the clock chiming the midnight hour as he edged past the closed curtain quietly. Rain continued to batter against the windows ceaselessly, interspersing the crystal droplets littering the glass with long, finger-like streams of water.

Kageyama set his violin against the sill and unlatched it. The violin was cold in his hands as he picked it up, leafing through his composition notebook to find the right page, hesitating once he found it. He knew Hinata needed his rest and that he shouldn't wake him, but at the same time, he was afraid. If he didn't show it to him as soon as possible...

 _No._ Kageyama had sworn not to think like that. Things were bound to turn around soon. The rain was letting up, he told himself, fingers tightening around the violin's neck. As soon as it did, they could send an ambulance to sort things out. Just like Suga had said, everything would work itself out in the end.

Taking a deep breath, Kageyama cemented the hold on his violin and put it back in the case. He crossed the room to reach Hinata's side and gently took his hand, weaving their fingers together. It felt good to have a link to him, no matter how temporary. His skin was still so cold...

Hinata's fingers twitched against his and Kageyama's eyes shot to his face, but his eyes remained closed. Coughs racked his body violently, sending his shoulder quaking, and Kageyama's hand fumbled uselessly in an effort to turn him on his side. He yelled for help out the open door, but he knew nobody would be close enough to hear him so he pulled Hinata into his arms and took off down the hallway.

Rain be damned: He'd run all the way down the hill himself if he had to. He didn't stop running until he'd reached the teacher's wing, pounding on all the doors he passed and shouting till his throat felt raw. The panic was like a knife stabbing him over and over again. He couldn't think or breathe or do anything but keep running, even though it probably wasn't the best idea.

By the time someone stopped him, he was broke down crying and could barely hold up Hinata anymore. Someone grabbed him and stopped his stumbling forward trek. It was the nurse, and she held him by the shoulders tightly as the headmaster took Hinata from him. They were saying something, but his ears were ringing too loudly to hear and he stumbled after them as they headed toward the front doors.

There was an ambulance outside. When had that arrived? He could see the flashing lights through the rain-streaked front windows as they approached, and the doors were wrenched open by two paramedics. They took Hinata from the headmaster, who took over the job of restraining Kageyama as he tried to follow.

A paramedic talked to the headmaster, saying something about the roads finally clearing and the power outage causing delays before they shook hands and the doors closed again. Dazed and panicked, Kageyama tried again to run outside after them, but the headmaster caught him again, muttering something about taking his car.

He didn't understand what was happening. Things were suddenly moving too fast. Hinata was gone. He couldn't think. The headmaster was thrusting his jacket into Kageyama's trembling hands, so he took it and slung it over his shoulders numbly, wondering why they weren't already going. He needed to be there. He couldn't leave him.

He said as much to the headmaster, and they finally ran out into the rain to follow the ambulance.

* * *

 **A/N:** Sorry for the long wait for the update guys! I've been really busy but I've been slowly working to complete this chapter, so hopefully you all like it. Thank you all so much for your immense patience and continuous support!

The action should pick back up after this update, so stay on your toes, guys! The piece featured in this chapter is Ludovico Einaudi's Nuvole Bianche. (There may also be some typos in this chapter, as I was in a rush to get it out. Feel free to correct me!)


	20. Only You and Kreutzer

**Chapter Twenty**

 **-❤- Only You / Kreutzer -❤-**

* * *

Kageyama had never liked hospitals. Ever since his dad had passed away, he hated the stark white of the silent waiting room, the beeping of heart monitors in distant rooms, and the antiseptic smell filling the halls. It felt like being stuck inside a bottle of bleach. The somber atmosphere only made the slow, deliberate ticking of the clock on the wall seem even more maddening.

He stared at the scuffed flooring with his head between his knees, heartbeat echoing in his ears. It felt just like it had to wait for his dad to get out of the surgery he wouldn't end up surviving. He could practically feel his mother's hand on his shoulder and see her foot tapping anxiously against the marble. His mouth was bitter with the memory.

How much longer would he have to wait? It had already been an hour and there was no news. They had to know something by then, right? Sitting and waiting there was almost as bad as it had been back at the school. The monotonous ticking of the clock was an irritating undertone to the ever-present storm outside.

The headmaster had gone back to the school since he couldn't be gone too long, and the nurse seemed as unnerved by the maddening symphony as he was. Her foot tapped an impatient rhythm against the floor tiles and Kageyama could tell she too was anxious for news.

"How long will it be?" she eventually muttered aloud, her foot stilling. "This is ridiculous."

"There are a lot of injured due to the storm," someone said from across the waiting room. "All of us have been here for hours now." Several nods of agreement followed the dismal statement and Kageyama's hopes sunk even further.

He raised his head and stared down the hallway, watching nurses file in and out of rooms like bees in a busy hive. Most of them looked like zombies, barely conscious as they stumbled around from patient to patient in exhausted stupors. They all looked like raccoons with the dark circles under their eyes.

Kageyama pressed his fingers together and let out a shaky sigh. He needed to play the song for him: he'd _promised_. Hinata needed to hear it, before...

"Are you the ones accompanying Hinata Shōyō?"

Kageyama's head snapped up as a doctor approached, squinting tiredly through his glasses at a clipboard. Everyone else who had tensed up at his appearance sagged against their chairs in disappointment.

The nurse put a calming hand against Kageyama's shoulder and spoke for them both: "We are. Do you have news, doctor?"

"Yes…" He tucked the clipboard under his arm, lips pursing in a way that made Kageyama's heart drop. "I'm afraid his condition is deteriorating rapidly. As you likely know, he has a preexisting condition. The scarring on his lungs at this time is... irreparable." He paused. "We believe a transplant would be in his best interest."

"But waiting for a transplant can take _months_ ," the nurse said tensely. "We've already waited for days just to bring him here: He can't wait much longer."

"His condition moves him to the top of the list," the doctor assured her. "We've been notified of a potential donor already; we just need consent for the procedure."

"I contacted his grandparents a few days ago, but I'm afraid all flights are canceled with the storm." The nurse wrung her hands together. "He's not a minor: can consent be presumed?"

"Since this is an emergency, consent _is_ presumable, but since you two brought him in, I'll need one of you to sign off—"

"I'll do it," Kageyama interrupted, growing tired of the back-and-forth.

"Are you related?" the doctor asked, half-extending the clipboard with hesitance.

"We're close." He snatched it and scribbled his name before shoving it back into his hands impatiently. "Do you know how long it will be until he goes into surgery?"

"Two or three hours, at the most. Why?"

"I've got something to do."

* * *

When Kageyama returned to the hospital, he was soaked from head to toe but had successfully retrieved his violin. He dripped his way down the hall to the nurse's station, ignoring all the strange looks thrown his way. "Can you give me Hinata Shōyō's room number?"

"One-twenty," the exhausted nurse replied without looking up from her coffee cup.

The corridor was full of doctors and visitors rushing from place to place, but apart from the beep of monitors and shuffle of sneakers across the linoleum, it was almost completely silent. Hinata's room was only a few feet from the waiting room, and an audience watched on curiously as Kageyama ducked inside with his violin case.

The nurse was waiting just inside the door. "Oh, thank god you're back. The doctors are about to come back to prep him. They said they wait as long as possible, but—"

"I don't need much time," he interrupted, quickly unlatching his case. He didn't have the sheet music, but he could hear the composition clearly enough in his head that he felt confident in playing it. This was Hinata's treasure hunt, after all: he couldn't possibly forget it.

"Hurry up," the nurse urged from beside the door. "They're coming down the hallway now."

Kageyama let out a breath to steady his shoulders and held his bow to the strings. _It will reach him,_ he told himself. _No matter what, it will reach him._

The song began slowly, and in his head, he could hear familiar piano notes echoing comfortingly. Each note came out low and mournful, like the song itself was crying. If his tears weren't all dried up, he probably would've cried, too. But he didn't really have to. The song was everything he was feeling—it was his heart.

Their story was written in every stroke of the bow; from first meeting to last; epilogue to prologue. Playing it and knowing the song would find Hinata made Kageyama almost dizzy with relief. When he finished and finally lowered his violin, the silence wasn't so suffocating anymore. But it wasn't really _silence_. When Kageyama turned around, he found a cluster of doctors and other onlookers gathered around the doorway, eyes glistening.

As he realized their presence, the group didn't applaud; but each member nodded to him meaningfully before dispersing, wiping tears from their eyes. Kageyama didn't have much time to absorb the silent praise before the doctors composed themselves and carefully moved past him. He barely had time to pack up his violin before they rolled Hinata's bed past him.

The tired doctor who had fetched them from the waiting room held him back when he tried to follow. "You two will have to wait here. The surgery will take several hours, but you'll be given updates throughout."

Kageyama wanted to argue, but the nurse managed to placate him with a stern look, giving the doctor a grateful smile as he left. "Thank you!" As soon as he was gone, she took Kageyama by the arm and steered him towards the waiting room. "I know what you're thinking, but you'll do no good getting into trouble. Wait here and I'll get coffee." She sat him down and marched off down the hallway like a drill sergeant.

Putting the violin case under his chair, Kageyama ran a hand through his hair and sighed in frustration. His temporary relief after playing the song was over, replaced by the familiar irritation of having to wait. His mother had always said life was 80% waiting, but he hadn't taken her seriously until that moment.

It was certainly believable staring at the stupid linoleum floor tiles _again_.

* * *

"Hey, mister, were you the one playing violin?"

It had only been a few minutes when Kageyama was broken out of his bored trance. He raised his eyes tiredly to find a little redheaded girl standing in front of him, alone. She stared at him in quiet anticipation, patiently waiting for an answer.

He sat up straighter and squinted at her. She looked like a girlish, tinier version of Hinata. But that was ridiculous, of course. "Uh,yeah... That was me."

The girl seemed pleased. She sat down in the empty seat beside him without an invitation, swinging her legs back and forth merrily. Her feet didn't even touch the floor. "You're _really_ good. I bet you go to Karasuno, right? My older brother goes there, too." She beamed at him.

Realizing he wasn't going to get out of a conversation, Kageyama sighed and settled back into his chair. "Yeah?" He glanced down at her. "Your brother, huh? What instrument does he play?"

"Piano." When Kageyama stared at her warily, she giggled. "I play, too. Our mom taught us." Her legs stopped swinging and she jumped up suddenly. "Hey, will you play something with me? It's way too gloomy in here."

"It _is_ a _hospital_ ," Kageyama grumbled under his breath. He sighed. "There isn't even a piano in—" She cut him off by pointing across the room where, lo and behold, there stood a small studio piano.

How ironic. Whoever was in charge of putting pianos in random places, he was going to write them an angry letter. But he had no excuse to say no to the little girl's puppy eyes, so he groaned inwardly and pulled out his violin. "Fine. Pick a song, I guess."

She grinned. "Do you know the Kreutzer Sonata?"

"Violin Sonata Number Nine, Opus Four," he said. "Beethoven. Sure, I know it. You can play that?"

"Yep!" She grinned. "My brother and I used to play it together all the time. Come on!" She towed him over to the piano and took a seat on the bench, waiting expectantly for him to retrieve his violin.

Kageyama was more than a little skeptical, but he began the song nonetheless. True to her word, the girl jumped into the tune with ease while he watched on with equal parts surprise and awe. He'd never seen someone so young play with such finesse before. Whoever her mom was, she must've been a killer pianist.

A crowd gathered around them and the girl smiled at him over her shoulder with a very familiar warmth; just like the sun.

* * *

By the time the nurse returned with coffee, the girl had disappeared and the buzz from their duet had died down, but there was still an air of lightness about the waiting room. He took the steaming cup from her with a slight smile and scooted over to make elbow room.

"Well, you seem in higher spirits." She crossed her legs and sighed into her cup. "Sorry I took so long: The line at the coffee shop. I think half the doctors were ready to pass out on their feet."

"Thanks for sticking it out." Kageyama took a sip of the coffee and immediately recoiled. "Ew… This tastes like nuclear waste."

"Yes, but it's _caffeinated_ waste," the nurse said concisely before taking another sip. "If you can sleep, go ahead. You need your rest after the last few days. I'll wake you up if there's any news."

"Are you sure?" He didn't want to miss anything. "If he wakes up, I want to be the first one there."

"I'm sure he would want that, too." She smiled, eyes crinkling sadly as she squeezed his shoulder. "I can tell you really love him."

"Yes." Kageyama didn't feel like denying it anymore. Did it really matter if everyone knew? At that moment, keeping their relationship a secret seemed foolish. "I really do. Which is _precisely_ why I'm going to drink this and stay awake." He held up the cup and forced down a sip, earning a snort from the nurse.

"You two are something else. You remind me of those troublemakers Ittetsu and Keishin."

"Ittetsu and—" Kageyama lowered his cup and shot her a surprised glance, trying to relate the word 'troublemaker' to Takeda's stumbling, bespectacled image. "You mean _Takeda Ittetsu_? Are we thinking of the same person?"

The nurse snorted into her cup. "Yes! He used to attend Karasuno, too, you know—before becoming a teacher. He and Ukai Keishin were a duo. That boy was such a bad influence on him..."

"Takeda was in a duo?" Kageyama questioned suspiciously. Of course, he knew Takeda had to be some kind of musician to be a teacher at the school, but he'd never considered that he had attended Karasuno himself. "What happened to his partner?"

"Ukai was always more of a showboat." She chuckled into her hand. "You should've seen the way he dragged poor Ittetsu around, getting him into all kinds of trouble. It was no surprise their paths split." She settled lower into her chair. "Ukai had always wanted to start his own orchestra, you see; so as soon as he graduated, he moved to downtown Kyoto and started one."

"And Takeda became a teacher," Kageyama murmured, piecing the puzzle together. "Why didn't he join his friend's orchestra?"

"He'd always wanted to be a teacher. Ukai offered him a spot, but he turned it down." She shrugged. "They both achieved their dreams, in the end."

"Huh." Kageyama frowned. "And... why do we remind you of them?"

"Well… Just my opinion." She swirled the coffee cup in her hand with a lighthearted smile. "Settle in: we've got a long wait ahead of us."

* * *

 **A/N:** Sorry for the late update! I had an exam yesterday, but I had time this morning to finish the chapter. I hope you guys are enjoying swimming in the angst huhu. Y'all are probably guessing already who that little girl was: it was just a sad head nod that you may or may not guess. But anyway: yes! Ukai is going to be making an appearance very soon, as well as some of the other teams~ I hope you're all excited.

There were two songs featured in this chapter: Only You by Park Joung Won (which is very similar to what I imagine Kageyama's composition to sound like) and Beethoven's Violin Sonata No. 9, Op.4 - Kreutzer. Still working on the playlists, but they will be out soon!

P.S.: Not sure how accurate anything medical-related is as I am (as you probably guessed) not a certified doctor. Feel free to give corrections as you see fit ^-^


	21. Caprice Op 1, No 4 and Andante

**Chapter Twenty-One**

 **-❤- Caprice Op. 1, No. 4 / Violin Sonata No. 2 -❤-**

* * *

The next few hours were the long of Kageyama's life. His mom had called after hearing about the dilemma from the headmaster, who had apparently been rather vague and left her with the impression that _he_ was the one injured. Luckily, he'd managed to clear everything up before she could get in the car and drive up there herself.

She had spent a while reassuring him and after that, Kageyama finally thought he could get some sleep. He drifted in and out, letting the repetitive sounds of the hospital bore him into unconsciousness. Each time he thought he might've gotten at least a solid hour of rest, however, a glance at the clock told otherwise. He was wound tighter than a violin string.

"I'm sure they'll be here soon," the nurse tried to console him, but the exhaustion in her own voice made the sentiment redundant. "They've been in surgery for"—she yawned—"six hours already."

"We've been here for eight," a woman said tiredly from across the waiting room. She offered them a kind smile despite her clear anxiety and exhaustion. "Who are you two waiting for?"

"My—" Kageyama began. The words dried up when he saw the clipboard-toting doctor from earlier coming down the hall. "Sorry, um… Excuse me for a second."

He extracted himself from the uncomfortable plastic chair and met the man halfway. "How is he?" he asked, a bit too forcefully.

"Do you have news?" the nurse appeared at his shoulder, slipping into the conversation.

The doctor held up his hands placatingly. "Please, I'll tell you all that I know in a moment." He tucked the clipboard under his arm. "The surgical team has finished, but things are still touch-and-go." He started walking down the hall and gestures for them to follow.

Kageyama scrambled to pick up his case and hurried along after him as the doctor started talking again. "We've moved him to a private room on the third floor. We won't know how he is until he wakes up, but the surgery went without complication. For now, the nurses will monitor him closely, and we'll see how things progress through the day."

"Day…" Kageyama rubbed his eyes. "That's right… it's morning."

The doctor gave them a sympathetic smile as he paused to press the elevator button. "Long night? There are some cots in the visitors center for you two to get some sleep."

"I want to stay with Hinata," Kageyama said immediately.

"That's fine." The elevator opened on the third floor and the doctor led them down the hall to a closed door, pausing outside. "If you need anything, tell a nurse and they'll come get me."

"Thank you so much," the nurse said gratefully, waiting until he had disappeared back down the hall to address Kageyama. "Why don't you stay here and I'll go to the visitors center? I've been dying to get some shut-eye." The way she said it, Kageyama knew she was really giving him some time alone with Hinata. It was the nicest thing she could've done.

Kageyama nodded. "Thank you… Really. You've done so much, even when you didn't have to."

"It's no problem at all." Her smile softened. "Now go. I think the best medicine for Hinata now is you."

* * *

His skin looked even paler against the white hospital sheets, almost like snow. Kageyama sat there, holding his hand and wondering at the comparison. Even though he was pale, his breathing was already more even and his face was calm in sleep.

He'd been there for so long. How long had it been since they'd arrived? There was no way to tell how much time had passed with the constant rain. Hinata seemed to be improving more and more with each hour that passed, but the wait was growing almost painful.

"I wonder," Kageyama whispered faintly, "did my song reach you?" He rested a gentle hand against Hinata's cheek. "Your treasure hunt?"

Hinata didn't react, but the warmth of his skin offered an odd kind of reassurance. He was still alive—he was still _there_ —and as long as he was there, Kageyama would be, too.

"I have an idea," he said gently, reaching for his violin. "I'll play for you. I know it always cheers you up."

Picking up the instrument, he searched his brain for a song that he knew Hinata would love. Something light; something that he'd smile at. The dreary hospital room needed a little sunlight in it, and without Hinata's brightness, it fell to him.

"Caprice?" he muttered, testing out the first notes. They rang out brightly, like little dancing fairies in the darkness. The notes hesitantly carried on, and he felt the familiar sensation of getting lost in the music. It was a feeling he'd been missing.

There was no crowd and no expectations: it was just him, Hinata, and the violin. _Beautiful_. The music finally had meaning again.

As his bow stilled against the strings, Kageyama closed his eyes and lingered in the waning feeling of fulfillment before the piece inevitably ended. The notes lingered in the air, suspended in warmth, until he set down the violin again and the magic disappeared.

In its place, Hinata's eyelids flickered, his fingers twitching against the hospital sheets. Kageyama was at his side in an instant, music forgotten. His heart leaped into his throat as the redhead's eyes slowly cracked open. It took a long moment for them to focus on Kageyama's face, blinking slowly. _What... happened?_ Hinata asked clumsily. _Where am I?_

 _You're in the hospital._ Kageyama took his hand and looked into his eyes carefully. He'd missed them more than he'd realized. _Nevermind that: How do you feel? Does your chest hurt?_

My chest? Hinata closed his eyes for a long moment, his forehead creasing. _I… don't know. I think so. I feel fuzzy._

 _You need to rest. You probably shouldn't even be awake yet._ Kageyama went to move to get a nurse, but Hinata grabbed his arm.

 _Don't go,_ he said, eyes wide with desperation. _Please. I'm scared. I need you._

Kageyama felt his chest tighten, lips trembling involuntarily. _I— I'm scared, too. I thought…_ His hands trembled. _I thought I might never get to see you again._ Tears slipped from his eyes and he tried to wipe them away, but Hinata caught his hands.

He fingers didn't move, but the look on his face held more meaning than anything else could. Despite everything, he was still holding his hand and reassuring him, _I'm here._

Kageyama's composure crumbled. He buried his face in Hinata's neck and let himself cry. All the fear that had been culminating inside finally escaped, soaking Hinata's pillowcase with tears of relief. "I'm here, too," he told him fiercely. " _I'm here_."

* * *

For a long time, the two of them lay there and held each other. Kageyama didn't want to let go for fear that Hinata might slip away again, but he knew that he needed to be resting, so he gathered his composure.

 _It'll be okay,_ Hinata signed against his back once he had calmed down. _Please don't cry anymore._

He shook his head gently and looked up at him. _You shouldn't be the one comforting me. I was so worried about you…_

Hinata's tired face softened into a familiar smile that warmed his heart. It was even more brilliant than he remembered. _Thank you for being here with me. I'm not as scared anymore._

 _I'm still terrified,_ Kageyama confided, _but I somehow get the feeling everything will be okay._ He gripped Hinata's hand and laced their fingers together. _Now, you should really get some rest._

 _Will you play for me first?_ Hinata asked. _Please? It's calming._

 _Alright,_ Kageyama relented, earning an even bigger smile. _What do you want me to play?_

Hinata closed his eyes. _Just play something that you love. I'm sure I'll like anything you decide on._

Something he loved… There were too many pieces to count. But he usually picked what to play based on emotion, and there was no shortage of that. What composition could convey what he was feeling in that moment? What did he want to reach Hinata the most?

He wished he could play him everything. Hinata deserved that, and more. Kageyama's chest ached thinking of all the hardships he'd been through. He wanted to keep him safe: at that moment, that was the one thing he wanted more than anything else.

A song that could keep them both safe, huh? Maybe he'd write it someday. Until then, there was one he had in mind…

Kageyama retrieved his violin and set the bow against the strings. He closed his eyes and for once, the rain droning in the background didn't bother him in the least.

* * *

Hinata fell back asleep a short way into his song and Kageyama sat at his side again dutifully, holding his hand and dozing lightly.

The storm raged on outside the window, thunder crashing and rain beating against the windows. The sky seemed angrier than it had before, throwing its hate against the earth in relentless waves. It really did seem like it would never end.

At least Hinata seemed to be doing better. He was looking less pale and didn't seem to be struggling to breathe as much as before. Kageyama's chest felt less heavy sitting beside him and holding his hand. He was still fighting.

As if he sensed him there, Hinata opened his eyes slowly. He smiled when he noticed Kageyama watching him, squeezing his hand lightly before letting it go. _It's so cold..._ He paused to untangled his arm from the cord of the heart monitor clipped on his finger, grimacing uncomfortably. _Hey… The competition… Are we still going to do it?_

 _You're caught up on that?_ Kageyama looked out the window at the downpour. _How can we?_ He'd began to come to terms with the improbability of their participation. _Your health is what's most important._ He let out a sigh and turned back to him. _I've decided to tell Takeda we're withdrawing—_

 _No!_ Hinata interrupted him violently, jerking forward to grab his arms.

"What are you doing?!" Kageyama pushed him back down frantically. "You'll rip your IV out, stupid!"

Hinata pushed him away, staring into his eyes with desperation. _Please, don't withdraw! I can still play!_

 _Are you crazy?_ Kageyama clicked his tongue and tried to recompose himself. _Look at you: you're in no shape to play like this. The competition is in four days. There's no way you'll be better by then._ He grew frustrated again when Hinata shook his head stubbornly. Kageyama grabbed his shoulders angrily to stop his next protest. "Dammit, just _listen to me_! You can't recover from a lung transplant that soon, Shōyō!"

Hinata's eyes widened and Kageyama quickly released him, startled by his own words. _I'm sorry… I didn't mean that,_ he said slowly. _I wanted to play too, alright? But we can't do it._ He tried to control the tremors in his fingers. _It just… isn't something you should risk your life over._

A long moment of silence passed before Hinata finally replied. _I really wanted to play._ He wiped a tear from his cheek, but more quickly replaced it. _I really wanted to play with you._ A weak smile formed through the stream of tears. _When we play… I really feel like we're invincible._

 _Invincible…_ Kageyama scrubbed at his eyes with a broken laugh. _Dumbass. When you say stuff like that, it's really hard to say no._

 _Then don't._ Hinata took his hand again, begging with his eyes. _No matter what, I want to play in the competition with you. You wrote a song just for the two of us, didn't you?_ He squeezed his palm with a look of determination that threw Kageyama for a loop. _So let's play it._

Kageyama shook his head, but he almost wanted to laugh. The image of this small, injured boy who loved piano and crepes _demanding_ that they play his song... It was so out of place in the grim environment, but somehow left him with a warmth in his heart that only Hinata ever seemed to put there.

He let out a long sigh and pulled back the thin hospital blankets.

 _Hey, what are you doing?_ Hinata tried to protest, but Kageyama shushed him.

 _Stay still, will you? I'm not arguing with you anymore, but if you think you can recover in four days, you'll need all the rest you can get._ He settled beside him, pulling the blanket up to cover them both. _You said you were cold, so I'm keeping you warm._

Hinata's blush tinted his face an alarming shade of red, which he quickly hid in Kageyama's shoulder. _Dummy…_ He hugged him despite the insult, resting an ear against his chest. He closed his eyes and let out a long, tired exhale. _Your heartbeat… I can feel it._

 _Good._ Kageyama wrapped his arm around him, making sure the blanket securely covered them. The rain droned on as he signed against Hinata's back, _This way, you'll know I'm here._

* * *

 **A/N:** So my update schedule didn't work aha _:(´□`) I'll try to catch up for this week and hopefully continue next week! Thank you all for the patience, and I hope you enjoyed the update! ^-^

The songs featured in this chapter are Caprice for Solo Violin, Op. 1, No. 4 by Niccolò Paganini and Violin Sonata No. 2 in D minor, op. 94a, "Andante" by Sergei Prokofiev.

The playlist is now out on 8tracks, so search 'silver hyacinth' on the site to find it! YouTube/SoundCloud playlists are in the works, as well as a tentative Spotify addition, so keep your eyes out for a note about them!


	22. Dream of Flying

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

 **-❤- Dream of Flying -❤-**

* * *

Over the next few days, Hinata reamined dead-set on attending the competition—very much to the doctor and Kageyama's chagrin. He attended physical therapy every day to recover his strength and spent hours curled up with Kageyama in between, and all the while, he wouldn't shut up about it.

 _I think I can really do it if I just try,_ he told Kageyama stubbornly, gripping the front of his shirt. They were curled up in his bed—supposedly resting; although, Hinata was wide awake. _I already know your half, so I just need to see the notes and I can play it! You did write notes for me, too; right, right?_

 _Shut up._ Kageyama pushed his smiling face away. _You're crazier than I thought, dumbass._

 _I wanna play it!_ Hinata insisted, sitting up against his chest. _Come on, please let me! I really need to have it memorized if we're gonna perform it together!_

Kageyama felt like punching him a little. The damn dumbass didn't have a handle on his well-being at all. If it was up to him, he'd probably be up and skipping around without a care in the world. It was insanely frustrating, but Kageyama didn't want to dishearten him. He also didn't want him to get hurt by overdoing it, though. _There's just no compromising with this guy._

 _Yes, I wrote notes for you,_ Kageyama said carefully, _but I still don't think you're approaching this the right way. (_ Read: he'd kill that dumbass if he didn't take things slower.)

Hinata broke into a scowl. _Don't be like that! You agreed to let me. I'll be really mad if you go back on your word!_ It was hard to take him seriously while he was still clinging to Kageyama's shirt. His face still looked a little pale…

 _I want to play it with you, too._ He let out a long sigh through his teeth. _I just don't want you to overdo it. You don't realize how serious this whole thing is._ He chewed on his lip. _You almost…_

Hinata pressed a finger to his lips, eyes downcast. _You don't have to tell me that… I've been sick for most of my life, so I sorta knew that something like this would happen eventually._ His mouth twisted into a frown. _My grandparents were always worried about me and wouldn't let me do anything fun. It was seriously the worst. I couldn't even play the piano without them worrying about me. It was like I was made of glass or something._

How true that was… Sometimes, Kageyama thought that, too. It was hard _not_ to with all that had happened—but at the same time, he'd seen firsthand just how strong Hinata could be. If there was anyone who could handle such a burden, it was him: whoever didn't see that wasn't paying enough attention.

Hinata's grip loosened on his shirt. _When I got to middle school, I decided enough was enough. I started working really hard and living the way I wanted to._ He smiled slightly. _I decided I would definitely get into Karasuno. I studied super hard and I practiced every day—and then I actually got in! I was so happy, but nobody seemed to notice me at all once I got there._ He paused. _Nobody, except for you…_

Kageyama found that couldn't say anything. He gripped Hinata's hand gently and pulled him closer, listening to his rhythmic heartbeat. What would things have been like if he had never noticed him playing Rachmaninoff so long ago? He never would've met Suga or Daichi or the others. He never would've danced with Hinata or kissed him or loved him. His duet would still be locked up inside, somewhere unreachable. In retrospect of everything they'd been through, Hinata had really changed his life.

"Dammit…" Kageyama closed his eyes and sagged against Hinata's chest. He didn't want to let him go. He wanted to keep him somewhere far away, where he couldn't be hurt. But at the same, he knew Hinata was unbelievably stubborn. He wouldn't give up on anything—especially not something Kageyama had worked so hard on and put so much heart into.

With a long sigh, he released Hinata again. _Okay. I'll let you play it._

* * *

They went out into the waiting room, where Kageyama had played a duet with the little girl. Hinata's eyes immediately lit up when he saw the piano. He sat down and ran his fingers over the keys, lightly enough not to make a sound. His eyes shone as he looked at Kageyama over his shoulder. _The music: do you have it?_

 _Here._ Kageyama reached into his violin case and passed Hinata the sheet music. _We start at the same time. I'll cue you._

A small crowd gathered around them, talking quietly amongst themselves: they must've recognized Kageyama from his recital with the girl. Hinata paid no attention to them, eyes trained on him expectantly. Following his example, Kageyama blocked out all outside noise and lifted his violin, taking a steadying breath. He and Hinata would finally get to play his duet together. It almost made him want to cry.

 _This time, definitely..._ Kageyama released his breath and nodded at Hinata. _It will reach him._

Hinata's fingers struck their first notes on the piano keys, and the world exploded in light. It was hard to breathe in the face of the sheer brightness, but Kageyama somehow managed to keep up with him. Their notes blended together, swelling up into an echoing melody. Kageyama's heart skipped a beat. _It was the sky_. The stars swirled around them in a whirlwind of light and sound, so close he could nearly reach out and touch them. The breathtaking performance was nothing like the duets what they'd done before: it was like… _flying_.

It was exactly the feeling Kageyama had been imagining. Instead of sadness, the composition filled him with an immense warmth— _Hinata's_ warmth. Their emotions were clashing warriors on a battlefield, dancing together across a floor that was breaking apart. They were on top of the world.

Even when his bow struck the last note of the melody, Kageyama couldn't breathe. That feeling… He'd never felt anything like it before. He couldn't seem to stop his hands from shaking, and his chest was pounding so hard that he nearly dropped his violin.

The group that had gathered broke into applause, which helped Kageyama snap out of his daze. When he looked down at Hinata, he was staring at his hands and wearing a huge grin. From the way his lips were shaking, Kageyama could tell he was overjoyed. He must've missed playing.

 _That was amazing!_ Hinata jumped up and threw his arms around Kageyama's neck, nearly knocking him over. He grabbed him by the waist and swung him around, stopping himself just short of kissing him. His blinding smile was even better than the feeling of their duet and it made his brain fuzzy, but Kageyama didn't really care.

 _You were perfect._ He wanted to say more, but Hinata's doctor, Kyōtani, broke through the crowd angrily, using a clipboard to separate the mass of people.

" _What_ do you think you're doing out of bed?" he asked, mouth twitching in thinly-veiled irritation. The exhausted translator, Yahaba, broke through seconds after him, but Hinata was already responding.

 _I'm not exacerbating my injuries! I just wanted to play a little!_ He broke into a contradictory coughing fit, leaning against Kageyama for support.

Dr. Kyōtani threw up his hands in exasperation. "See what I mean! _This_ is what happens when you don't follow your recovery plan." Before Yahaba could even finish interpreting, he gestured at Kageyama to bring Hinata and stormed off down the hall. "You've been here for less than a week, and you're already the most troublesome transplant patient I've ever had!"

He wasn't wrong, but they both knew that Hinata wasn't someone you could hold down for long. As much as he hated to admit it, Kageyama had no way to get him to comply with the doctors' wishes—and neither did they. As weird as it was to think so, Hinst was a bit of a wild card. But he was also insanely reckless, and something had to be done about _that_.

"Get back in bed and _stay_ _there_!" Kyōtani ordered when they reached Hinata's room. Poor Yahaba was still struggling to keep up with his ranting. "If I catch you out of bed again, I'm banning Kageyama from your room!"

 _Can he do that?!_ Hinata whipped around to ask Kageyama frantically. _He can't, right?_

"I _can_ , and I _will_." Kyōtani shot him a warning glare. He waited until Hinata had obediently climbed into bed before turning to leave, mumbling to himself on the way out. "I can't believe I'm threatening a teenage boy with another teenage boy… _This_ is what all those years of med school and residency lead up to…"

Once he was gone, Yahaba signed a hasty apology to Hinata and skittered after him dejectedly. The redhead sagged against the mattress with a despondent sigh, shooting Kageyama his best kicked-puppy eyes. _I can tell you're worried about me, too. I keep telling you: I'm feeling way better already._

 _I know you think you can handle everything, but the doctor is right._ Kageyama sat on the edge of his mattress and gently squeezed Hinata's hand. _I just don't want you to overdo it. Being too reckless is stupid. If you get sick again preparing for a stupid music competition, you'll be back at square one again. I doubt that's what you want._

 _I guess not._ Hinata's face fell. His fingers pulled at the thin hospital blanket pensively. _Still, I was really looking forward to it…_

 _If you practice in moderation, it should be fine._ Kageyama crawled in beside him and covered them both up. _For now, just worry about resting._

 _Okay._ Hinata's face softened again and he settled against Kageyama's chest, fitting against his side like a puzzle piece. It was already warmer that way; relieving in its familiarity. Kageyama thought he might fall asleep, too. That wouldn't be so bad. As long as they were together…

Hinata's fingers pulled at his jacket softly right before he could doze off. Kageyama opened one eye compliantly, just in time to see Hinata's tender smile. _I love you._

After absorbing the words for a long moment, Kageyama buried his overjoyed smile in Hinata's neck. _Me, too._ Even if things were uncertain, they would work themselves out. All that mattered then was that the two of them were together. I love you, too.

* * *

When he finally drifted off, Kageyama dreamed of their first meeting, but instead of Rachmaninoff echoing through the school hallways, it was his composition. He followed it past the same pillars and over the same scuffed marble until he approached the music room. Unlike the last time, the door was wide open. On the other side, Hinata sat at the piano gracefully, regal and proud with each keystroke. _Beautiful._

 _Shōyō..._ Kageyama crossed the room to join him, embracing him from behind. _You're playing it without me. Did you learn it already?_

Hinata's hands curled around his arms. His smile shone even brighter than the light cutting across the floorboards. _You found me. I was waiting for you._ He moved his hand to point at a violin that appeared on the piano lid out of nowhere. _Play it with me._

 _Wake up._

The two sentences blended together until Kageyama couldn't fight the much louder insistence and finally jolted awake. He found Hinata sound asleep on his chest, drooling all over his jacket. At the foot of the bed stood an obviously irritated Dr. Kyōtani, tapping his foot at a record-breaking pace. "I really should ban you from his room. Sleeping with a patient in recovery?" He clicked his tongue. "Youth these days."

"I'm sorry!" Kageyama practically fell out of bed, whacking his elbow on the side table. "Ow… I was only—"

"I really don't want to know," Kyōtani interrupted, flipping through the chart clipped to Hinata's bed. He frowned at the paper. "His oxygen level is still lower than we'd like it to be…"

"Will he be okay?"

"He will if you _stop letting him run around_." He put the clipboard back, shooting Kageyama an 'I'm-watching-you' gesture. "He needs as much rest as he can get. If he doesn't slow down, he's going to worsen his condition. I cannot emphasize how important it is that he not overdo things."

"Yeah…" Kageyama bit his lip. "Try telling _him_ that."

"Technically, I'm not allowed to tell you that you're an idiot, so I'm not." Kageyama shot him an offended look as he continued on, "However, I _can_ tell you that he'll listen to you. If he doesn't realize how reckless he's being, we could be right back at square one with his treatment." He waved dismissively on his way out the door. "But hey, don't listen to the advice of a _medical professional_ or anything!"

He was right, of course: Kageyama knew that. The only problem was that Hinata had his heart set on performing their duet in the competition with him, no matter what. It was impossible to convince him otherwise. He was a total moron because of it, but that didn't change the fact.

Kageyama was crazy worried about him, but he had no control over Hinata's decisions. All he could do was watch him try to fly. If nothing could stop him from reaching for the sky, then Kageyama would be his wings.

* * *

 **A/N:** The next chapter is finally here! On another note, while there are Seijō members at their own music school, I just wanted Yahaba and Kyōtani as doctors because how cute is that? ₍₍ (ง ˙ω˙)ว ⁾⁾ Anyway, thank you all for your patience! I hope you enjoyed the update! ^-^

The song featured in this chapter is the lovely Dream of Flying, by Brian Crain.


	23. Impromptu Op 142, No 2 in A Flat Major

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

 **-❤- Impromptu Op. 142, No. 2, in A Flat Ma** **jor -❤-**

* * *

January 12th arrived too fast. The morning was full of the usual plethora of tests Hinata underwent every day, but he handled them all with an unusual amount of excitement. Even while getting his blood drawn, he kept smiling.

Kageyama watched him anxiously, trying to gauge whether or not he had recovered as much as he had hoped. He seemed to have more energy, but was that just adrenaline from the possibility of competing? Despite his high spirits, there was a slight catch when he breathed and a hesitation in his smile. Kageyama could tell he was still feeling some discomfort. Why wouldn't he just _say that_? It was okay to give up.

"I'm going to tell you right now," Dr. Kyōtani warned upon entrance, "not to get your hopes up." He pulled out his stethoscope and Hinata sat up expectantly.

"But I'm feeling so much better," Kageyama translated as Hinata signed. He clicked his tongue in mild irritation. "Don't listen to him: I can tell he's tired today."

"His lungs sound weaker than yesterday." Kyōtani moved the stethoscope to his chest, frowning at what he heard. "Deep breath."

Hinata coughed when he tried to inhale, shoulders shaking violently. Dr. Kyōtani's mouth set into a firm line. He wrapped the scope back around his neck, helping Hinata back down. "You're not going to like the news, kid. Your condition isn't stable enough to leave yet, so I'm afraid I can't allow you to attend your competition."

 _No!_ Hinata's eyes widened in desperation. _Please let me go. I need to go!_ He broke into another coughing fit. When Kyōtani secured an oxygen mask over his face, he held it with one hand, wiping away tears with the other. The misery in his eyes as he looked at Kageyama was nearly heartbreaking. He wanted to fight for him—to tell him that they'd find a way—but he cared about his well-being more, so he stayed quiet.

"Hey, it's not the end of the world," Kyōtani consoled him. "There will always be other chances, Hinata. If you think you're letting down your friend, I can say with complete certainty that he'd much rather have you than some trophy." He tucked the ever-present clipboard under his arm, offering an uncharacteristically sympathetic smile. "Keep your head up."

He closed the door and disappeared down the hallway, leaving Kageyama and Hinata stewing in an uncomfortable silence. It was hard to think of something to say under the circumstances. What did one say to someone whose dreams had been veritably crushed? 'Hey, sorry your life sucks so much, we'll get through it'? Kageyama lacked the conciseness of Kyōtani to be able to say something like that. Even if he'd had it, the phrase wouldn't erase the look of anguish from Hinata's face.

 _Hey… don't be upset._ Kageyama sat beside him, gently pressing their knees together. The gesture failed to stop his tears. He stared out the window at the rain, continuously wiping them away. Instead of yelling like he really wanted to, Kageyama resigned himself to silence. It was better if he came to understand on his own. Even though he wasn't giving up on music, at that moment, it probably really felt like he was.

* * *

After he'd stopped crying and was able to breathe on his own again, Hinata nailed Kageyama with a fierce stare that made him incredibly apprehensive. What he said next was even worse: _I've decided I'm going to sneak out._

 _What?_ His ears must've been malfunctioning. _You better be joking._

Hinata shook his head. _I'm serious! It'll be just like when we snuck out to go into town! If you help me, we can definitely make it. Dr. Kyōtani can't watch me at every second._

 _Are you crazy?!_ Kageyama glanced around to make sure Yamaha wasn't there to overhear them. _You dumbass! What the hell are you saying?! There's no way I'm helping you break out of here! You heard what Kyōtani said: there'll be other chances—_

 _I want this chance!_ Hinata insisted. _We've been preparing for so long! Giving up now would be letting Sugawara and the others down, and I don't want to do that._ His jaw clenched. _I don't care what anybody says: I'm not giving up on this—on you. I'm never giving up on you!_

 _'Everybody gives up on you, huh? It's inevitable.'_ Kageyama was thrown into a memory so vivid, it made him gasp. Oikawa's callous smile and the pitiless laughter of his classmates and the burning feeling of failure in his chest: they were all too real. Although it had been two years, the words were as vivid as when he'd first heard them.

 _'You really are the Solo King, aren't you?'_ Oikawa sneered, cold eyes picking him apart like a bug under a microscope, analyzing his every weakness. ' _I heard another person ditched you. Why don't you just quit already? There's no place for someone who can't match harmonies in the music industry.'_

 _No._ Kageyama held a hand to his head, squeezing his eyes shut to block out the painful images. _No. I changed. It wasn't my fault. I'm different now. I didn't give quit. I didn't give up. I'm still here!_

Somebody grabbed his arm. Kageyama stumbled, struggling to tear himself out of the memories.

He hadn't had an attack in so long, he'd nearly forgotten them. Those days… Back then, he'd had no friends. His inability to work with others had left him ostracized, hated for something he couldn't control. The other students felt no sympathy, joining in Oikawa's daily heckling. He suffered panic attacks and skipped class more often than he attended it, unable to find someone to play along with. Things got so bad, Kageyama applied to Karasuno just to get away. The memories had been shoved to the back of his head, where they weren't supposed to be able to resurface. Why did they come back then, of all times?

When his vision cleared again, Hinata was peering up at him, gripping his sleeve tightly. _What was that?_ His hands were shaking. _It was like you disappeared for a second. Are you okay?_

His gaze was calming. Kageyama's hands grasped desperately at his elbows and he stared into his eyes, getting lost in them until his heartbeat had slowed down again. Hinata held onto him, waiting until he'd calmed down to raise a question. _What's wrong?_ He forced Kageyama to sit down, keeping a steadying hand on his arm.

 _Just something I'd rather forget._ Kageyama closed his eyes for a long moment.

Things _were_ different: he had no reason to be anxious anymore. He'd lived in Oikawa's shadow for years, his tormenting words haunting every note he played. It had tainted the thing he loved the most in the world. He'd been through a lot of strain looking for a partner that he could never find, wasting two whole years on trying to fit in. Only when he gave up on that did he finally find what he was looking for: Hinata, his spot of light in the endless dark.

 _I'm not giving up on you._ Hinata had promised it so effortlessly. How could he offer trust so blatantly? How could he accept him from the beginning? Even after Kageyama had told him that he couldn't do a duet, Hinata hadn't given up on him. No wonder he cared so much about the composition. It was a symbol of far he—no; how far _they_ had come.

A laugh escaped him before Kageyama could stop it, which only confused Hinata even more. _I'll do it,_ he said, before the inevitable interrogation could begin.

 _You will?_ Hinata was utterly baffled. _But... why change your mind?_

The best way to forget the past was to create new memories. Going to the competition would be stupid and incredibly reckless… yet, all things considered, Kageyama really did want to fly with Hinata. That was the best explanation he could think of.

 _You're the reason why,_ he said honestly, flashing Hinata a reassuring smile. _Maybe I'll tell you more about it some other time, but for now, we really need to get going._

When Hinata blinked at him dubiously, Kageyama rolled his eyes and pulled him to his feet. _Come on: I promised we'd play it together, didn't I?_ He grinned. _I don't plan on breaking that promise, Shōyō._

* * *

 _I take it back._ Hinata clung to the back of Kageyama's shirt with an anxious grimace. _This was a bad idea. We're gonna get caught for sure._

 _Shut up and focus._ Kageyama yanked him behind a plant when a nurse passed by wheeling an IV cart. _This will take the utmost concentration. Don't let go of me for even a second, okay?_

Instead of the action-movie-romance moment Kageyama was expecting, Hinata pulled an unimpressed face. _You're a dork. I asked you to help sneak me out, not reenact 'Spy Sorge.' Are they really going to physically stop us, anyway?_

 _You're the one who said they would!_ Kageyama pushed him to the wall again when an orderly came scurrying past. _Whatever: just focus. I'm ninety-nine percent sure Dr. Kyōtani would try to stop us._ Another nurse walked by before they could hide, glancing at Hinata suspiciously. They were way too conspicuous. In a stroke of quick-thinking, Kageyama tugged off his jacket and dumped it over Hinata's head. _Here, this will hide you._

While Hinata pulled it on, Kageyama scouted out the surrounding area for a possible escape route. That nurse was definitely going to report them to Kyōtani, so they didn't have much time. There were several different residents running around. Luckily, they all seemed preoccupied checking on other patients and obeying their attendings' orders. The nurses were who Kageyama was most worried about. All the ones on that floor knew Hinata, so it would be a real task to get past them. Even though he'd changed into street clothes, his hair made it impossible to blend in.

There had to be _some_ way…

"What are you two doing?" A woman was standing behind them, hands on her hips with one eyebrow raised. Kageyama nearly had a heart attack, but upon closer inspection, she didn't look familiar to him. She had short honey blonde hair and slanted dark eyes—but more importantly, she was dressed in doctor's blue scrubs. She must've been a resident…

"We, uh… we got lost!" He fired the shot off desperately. If she didn't recognize them, maybe she would help. (Hopefully, she wouldn't find his violin case or Hinata's disguise suspicious.) "We were visiting our friend and can't find our way back to the lobby. Could you tell us where the stairwell is?" The elevator was too risky with the constant foot traffic through it.

She had opened her mouth to respond when another resident called out to her from down the hallway. "Saeko, the surgery's starting soon! Hurry up!"

"I'm coming!" She backpedaled, pausing to shout, "Down the hall: take two lefts then a right! You'll see an exit sign!"

"Thank you!" Kageyama grabbed Hinata's hand before the words were even out of his mouth. "Let's go!" Hinata's quiet cough stopped him halfway through the motion. _That's right… he can't run_. Kageyama swore under his breath, releasing Hinata again. He put his violin down and crouched, gesturing at his back urgently. _Climb on._

 _What?_ Hinata's face flushed. _No way. I'm not a little kid._

 _There's no time to complain. You can't run, and we need to go fast._ Kageyama waved at him insistently. _Get on. There'll be less strain on your lungs this way._

Hinata looked like he was going to protest, but he swallowed his pride and climbed on his back. Grabbing his violin, Kageyama centered his weight and stood up, surprised at how light he was. _Hold on tight,_ he warned, seriously concerned Hinata might fly off.

The redhead readjusted his grip. _Are you sure we can get there in time?_

 _We'll try our damn hardest._ Kageyama steadied himself and took off down the hall.

* * *

 _I can't believe we made it._ Hinata sat slumped against Kageyama's side in the back of a taxi, breathing a long sigh of relief. _That was crazy._

 _No kidding._ It was his first time sneaking a patient out of a hospital, and Kageyama couldn't say it was an experience he'd like to repeat. But that wasn't important anymore. _Hang on._ Rummaging in his case, he retrieved the sheet music and handed it over. _Study this. You've only played it once, so you need to familiarize yourself with it as much as possible. We'll have time to practice, but not much._

 _Okay._ Hinata spread out the paper on his lap. He hesitated for a moment, catching his lip between his teeth. _I'm getting a little nervous… Exactly how many people will be at this thing?_

 _You choose to get stage-fright now?_ Kageyama nudged his shoulder gently. _You'll do fine. Don't get stressed out._

 _But… I heard that Seijō is going to be there. They're supposed to be really good, aren't they? They're number one in this prefecture._

Kageyama froze. _Seijō._ Of course they would be there. He'd hadn't even considered it until just then, but what Hinata said was true: they were the leading university in the prefecture. It would only make sense that they would be entering.

Hinata picked up on his uncertainty immediately. _What's wrong? You made that same face earlier._ He frowned. _Now that I think about it... you said before that you transferred to Karasuno from another school, didn't you? Did something happen there?_

Damn, so there really was no of getting around it. He should've known that from the start, though: Hinata could read him like a book. It was better to get it off his chest, anyway. He _had_ promised to try to open up more...

"Hey," the cab driver spoke up, "before you two go having a heart-to-heart in my backseat, I thought I'd tell you we're here."

"Uh… Sorry." Kageyama coughed awkwardly, rummaging in his pockets for his wallet. The driver peered through the windshield at the concert hall while he did, squinting up at the towering glass facade.

"Ah, you two must be going to the competition, eh?" He turned around to accept Kageyama's money, gesturing at his violin. "Are you performing?"

"We are." Kageyama reached for the handle, tugging on Hinata's sleeve. "We have to run, but thank you for the ride!"

The driver gave them a wave. "Good luck!"

As soon as the car had sped off, Kageyama took Hinata by the shoulders, searching his eyes for any hint of uncertainty. _Are you ready?_

 _I'm ready._ There was no hesitation in his response. _Let's do this._

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you all for your kind messages and continuous support! I'm glad you all like the story, considering I write it for all of you ー( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ Enjoy the update! Y'all deserve it 33

The song featured in this chapter is Schubert's Impromptu Op. 142, No. 2, in A Flat Major.


	24. Suite No 5, Aria

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

 **-❤- Suite No. 5, Aria -❤-**

* * *

The concert hall was so big, it made Karasuno's sprawling campus look insubstantial. The entrance was packed wall-to-wall in people with instruments and excited attendees. Kageyama scouted for Suga in the crowd. He'd texted him last-minute agreeing to meet by the sign-in—but where _was_ the sign in? It was impossible to see through the collection of people and instruments. There was a whole collection of tuba-players marching past, for God's sake.

 _Maybe we should text them,_ Hinata suggested. _You have your phone, right?_

"Kageyama! Over here!" A hand shot out of the crowd, waving urgently: Sugawara.

They cut across the mess of a floor to reach him and the rest of the group. "Sorry for being late! I had something to do." He pulled Hinata out from behind him and everyone gasped.

 _Are you okay?_ Asahi delicately inquired after his health while Yachi hugged him and Noya smacked his shoulder happily.

Instead of joining in the reunion, Suga narrowed his eyes and pulled Kageyama aside by the collar. "Hey, why is Hinata here? _How_ is he here?"

"Ah, um…" He rubbed his neck nervously. "He, uh…" How was he supposed to tell Suga that they broke out of a hospital? There had to be a way around that, right?

Suga got tired of his panicked silence and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Kageyama… whatever you did, I don't want to know. As long as he's _truly_ fit to compete, I don't care." He hesitated, nailing Kageyama with an expectant stare. When he stayed quiet, Suga let out a long sigh. "Geez… just go sign in." He pushed him away and Kageyama disappeared before he could slip up.

Hinata chased after him, brows knit together in worry. What did he say? Did we get caught?

 _Not yet._ Kageyama dodged around a group of flute players to reach the sign-in table. "We're here to check in. With Karasuno."

"You must be Hinata and Kageyama, then." The woman handed them two passes and checked their names off a clipboard. "You two will perform fourth. The competition begins in fifteen minutes, so you'll have about half an hour total to prepare." She gestured to the left, where a long hallway was cluttered with musicians and instruments. "Collect the rest of your group and head that way. This hallway will lead you to the practice rooms."

"Thank you!" Kageyama took Hinata's hand and towed him back toward Suga and the others, pausing to wait for a bass player to pass. _You're not getting tired, are you?_ he asked Hinata, studying him for any signs of fatigue. If there was the slightest hint that he wasn't feeling well, they were going right back to the hospital.

Hinata shook his head adamantly. _Never better! Let's hurry and practice while we have the chance._ He tugged Kageyama forward with an eager bounce in his step. It reassured him a bit that he wasn't going to overdo things.

They regrouped with the others and Kageyama relayed the news. "We're supposed to go back to the practice rooms now."

"Shimizu and Daichi are already back there," Suga said, nudging them toward the hallway. "You two need to practice," he directed at Kageyama. "You skipped for a while, so Hinata especially is undoubtedly rusty."

 _Hey!_ Hinata shot him an offended glare. _I just played yesterday!_

Kageyama thanked the gods that Suga didn't know sign language. "He, uh… he says we were already planning on it."

"Practice makes perfect," Suga shot back, shoving them harder. "Hurry up, before I trip on you."

"My eyes must be playing tricks on me! Is that the King himself?"

Kageyama froze when he heard the loud exclamation, his heart dropping into his stomach like a ball of lead. So he really was there... He'd been hoping to avoid him, but it looked like their confrontation was inevitable. After two years, he'd finally be forced to face him again: _Oikawa_.

Suga peeked around him irritably. "Hey, why did you stop? We're wasting time here."

Before Kageyama could respond, Oikawa's voice rang out even louder, drawing the attention of the others. "Oi, don't pretend you didn't hear me, Tobio-chan! Still pretentious as hell, I see. You really are 'the King.'"

Noya snorted into his hand. "T-Tobio-chan?"

Kageyama ignored him and forced himself to turn around, clenching his fists to keep his hands from shaking. Oikawa looked almost exactly the same as he had two years before, right down to the condescending smirk. "I told you not to call me that." A tremor snuck into his voice without permission.

"Ah, my bad, my bad!" Oikawa marched up to him, bold as ever. He peered up at him with clear distaste. "You got tall, huh? Annoying." He glanced around at the rest of Karasuno. "Who are these losers? Your new classmates?"

"Hey, you wanna say that again, bastard?" Noya growled, struggling to push past Asahi's restraining arm.

Oikawa wasn't the least bit impressed. "I'd heard you transferred to Karasuno, but I didn't think it was true. I definitely thought you would've quit by now."

Before Kageyama could get a word in, Hinata flew past him in the blink of an eye, jabbing a finger into Oikawa's chest. _How dare you! Who the heck do you think you are?_ He was signing so wildly that his words were barely legible. _Even if you guys know each other, you shouldn't talk to anybody like that—ever! Didn't your parents teach you any manners, huh?! I swear to—_

"Hinata, cut it out!" Suga yanked him back by the shirt. "Don't get in people's faces like that."

"Hey, Shōyō's in the right here, Suga!" Noya insisted from the bear hug Asahi had him locked in. "This guy seems like a huge jerk. We should _kill_ him!"

" _No_. What's wrong with you?"

Kageyama was dumbstruck by their reactions. Nobody had ever stood up to Oikawa before—hell, nobody had stood up _for him_ before. The flabbergasted look on Oikawa's face almost made the awful reunion worth it. Then he started smiling, and Kageyama got nervous again.

"Oh, what nice friends. Are you going to introduce me, Tobio-chan?"

Hinata scowled at that and tugged on Kageyama's jacket sleeve. _Hey, why does he call you by your first name? Were you guys that close?_

 _It's not like it's my choice!_ Kageyama's face flushed. _We're anything but close! He tormented me all through college! I really hate him!_

"Hey, what kind of things are you saying about me?" Oikawa growled. He nailed Hinata with a hard stare that made the redhead fidget nervously.

 _What, you wanna fight?_ He edged closer to Kageyama, contradicting the challenge. _Hey, I really don't like this guy… He's got a creepy face._

Kageyama got the strongest urge to shield Hinata behind him when a grin slowly spread across Oikawa's face. " _Ohhh_ , now I see. This must be your new partner, huh?" He snickered. "That anxious expression on your face gives everything away."

 _I don't like this guy, either,_ Asahi signed, securing his hold on Nishinoya. _He's like a weasel…_

Suga scratched his neck nervously. "Hey, guys… we need to get going now. I don't know what's going on, but there's a better time and place."

Oikawa ignored him entirely, focusing his attention on Hinata. "Hey, shorty, how do you like being partnered with such an unreliable guy? It's the worst, isn't it?"

"Leave him out of this!" Kageyama tugged Hinata back before Oikawa could get too close to him. He lowered his voice when he noticed all the people staring at them. "Listen, I'm through talking to you: I have nothing else to say. You might've had some sway over me before, but not anymore."

"Ooh, so you've suddenly become Mr. Tough Guy?" Oikawa scoffed. "Like it or not, this shrimp'll eventually ditch you, just like everyone else."

Hinata raised his hand, eyes ablaze. Kageyama quickly grabbed him, realizing what he planned to do. _Don't. He's not worth it. Fighting could get us disqualified._ He didn't want Hinata to tire himself out fighting a jerk like Oikawa. _We'll prove ourselves by winning, alright?_

It was a far-fetched promise, but Kageyama was willing to bet everything on Hinata. The question was whether or not he felt the same.

 _If that's what you really want._ Hinata lowered his hand and shook his shoulders loose, still glaring at Oikawa. _I'll support you._

 _Thank you._ Kageyama couldn't help but grin. He faced Oikawa and didn't bother hiding it. "Just wait and see: we'll win." He jerked a finger at Hinata. "With this guy's help… I'll definitely surpass you."

* * *

They headed to the practice room, Suga bickering the whole way. "Whatever your past is, Kageyama, don't go picking fights in important places. What if you guys got us all kicked out, huh?" He smacked then on the back of the head with each word. "Think before you act!"

"We're sorry!" Kageyama exclaimed, batting his hand away. "Gah, stop hitting me already!"

"Geez..." Suga clicked his tongue. "I'll admit, whoever he was, he was a major piece of work." He cut a sidelong glance at Kageyama. "Not an old friend of yours, I'm assuming?"

"Definitely not." Kageyama ran a hand through his hair anxiously. "We used to go to the same college… I transferred here at the start of this year, but before that, I went to Seijō."

"No kidding." Noya whistled, ducking around a bass player as they headed into the practice room. "You're saying _that guy_ is the reason you left?"

"It's complicated… I'd rather not get into it."

"Then don't." Suga pushed him and Hinata towards the grand piano. "Practice so you actually stand a chance against him. You're switching to an original composition, right?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Let me hear it."

"So demanding," Kageyama grumbled. He set down his violin compliantly, handing Hinata the sheet music. "It's not anywhere near perfect yet since we've only played it once, so don't be too harsh."

"Less talking, more music."

"Geez, okay!" Kageyama waved at Hinata to get his attention. _We're going from the top. Are you ready?_

He nodded emphatically, fingers already reaching for the keys. _Ready!_

Kageyama raised his bow right as he struck the first notes. The music still took his breath away, from the very second it began. He'd been half joking when he said it was Hinata's treasure hunt, but it really did feel like a love letter. It was embarrassing to realize, but Kageyama could sense his own emotions in every note. It was an indescribable warmth that could only be described as 'love.'

Did Hinata feel it, too? Looking at his back, it was impossible to tell, yet Kageyama got the inexplicable feeling that he was smiling from ear to ear. The song's ending felt like a smile in and of itself, shared between the two them despite the others watching.

When he lowered his bow, Kageyama looked to Suga expectantly—and immediately panicked. "H-hey, why are you crying?! Is it bad? Is it that bad?"

"What the hell is the deal with you?" Noya spoke up, comforting a bawling Asahi. "You 'only played it once,' huh? Damn, prodigies really tick me off!"

 _Too many people talking,_ Hinata sighed nervously. _Do they not like it?_

"Suga, say something," Kageyama begged. "You're scaring Hinata here." And him.

"I'm just... a bit shocked." Suga wiped at his face. "You really wrote that yourself, Kageyama? In only a few days?"

"Wait, _Kageyama_ wrote that?" Daichi appeared from the crowd of onlookers with Shimizu trailing behind him. "I knew you were working on a composition, but _that_ …"

" _Somebody_ just tell me if it sucked or not!" Kageyama exclaimed.

"Are you kidding?!" Yachi was the one to speak up, startling him with her uncharacteristic outburst. "That was _amazing_!" Leaning against Shimizu, she wiped at her eyes furiously. "I could feel it… It was like one huge 'I love you.' I've never heard anything like that before."

"So… you think this has a chance against Oikawa, then?" Kageyama murmured, locking eyes with Hinata.

"Are you kidding?" Suga took him by the shoulders with a giddy laugh. "Kageyama, with that song… you just might be able to win this whole thing."

* * *

 _I know Suga said we were good but… I'm still nervous._ Hinata wrung his hands together. _And I know that we practiced, but what if I mess up?_

Kageyama took his eyes off the stage, where Shimizu and Yachi were performing "Aria," and squeezed his hand. _You'll do fine. I'll be there with you the whole time._

 _Yeah…_ Hinata tried for a smile. _I'm really glad you're here._ He fiddled with the collar of his uniform—which Suga had bought for them to change into—until his tie was a tangled mess. Kageyama had to grab his hand before he could strangle himself.

 _Don't worry so much. We're the best team, remember?_ He paused. _If you're nervous, just remember… as long as I'm here, you're invincible._

 _Yeah._ When Hinata squeezed his hand, his fingers had stopped shaking. _I'll do my best… If it's your music, I really want to play it, no matter what._

 _Good._ He wanted to say more, but the applause of the crowd interrupted, signaling the end of Yachi and Shimizu's performance. _Looks like we're up. Are you ready?_ He was probably asking that too much, but Hinata's face screamed, _Help me._

Despite that, he nodded firmly. _As ready as I can be. The best way to get over stage fright is to just play._ His hands balled up into fists, his eyes shining with their usual fierce determination. _Let's go out there and show them what we're made of._

Together, they linked hands and took the stage.

* * *

 **A/N:** Oikawa finally makes his bitchy apperance! (ʃƪ¬‿¬) I love his shit personality so much smh.

Anyway, extra long chapter this time! I hope you're all getting pumped up, 'cause I sure am lol. Enjoy the update lovelies! 3

The song featured in this chapter is Lou Harrison's Suite No. 5, Aria.


	25. Andante Affettuosso

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

 **-❤- Andante Affettuosso -❤-**

* * *

 _How do you think we did?_ Hinata's face was tight with anxiety. _I ended up being so focused on playing that I didn't even look at the crowd, so I couldn't tell if they liked it or not._

 _Me, too…_ Kageyama admitted sheepishly. _But I'm sure they loved it!_ he rushed on when Hinata's face paled. _You played it perfectly, so there's no need to worry, okay? Even if we don't win, we know that we gave it our all._

 _Okay,_ Hinata agreed hesitantly, unclenching his fists. He shook out his fingers with a shaky breath. _I think I feel a bit better now._

 _Good._ Kageyama pulled him to his feet, squeezing his hand in gentle reassurance. _The award ceremony is going to start soon. We should find our seats._

 _Yeah._ Hinata followed after him and they headed back towards the auditorium, where Suga and the others were waiting for them.

"It's about time you two showed up!" Noya sprung over to them like a slinky, clapping Hinata on the shoulder hard enough to knock him off balance. "You guys did well! Yacchan was bawling."

"So were you!" Yachi retorted, whacking his shoulder angrily. She smiled sheepishly at Kageyama and Hinata. "It was _really_ good. I'm sure you guys are going to get in the top five."

"You were great, too," Kageyama said earnestly. "You have such great chemistry and stage presence."

"Do we?" Yachi flushed, sharing a sidelong glance with Shimizu. "Ah, that's probably because we're—"

"Ladies and gentlemen," a voice announced over the loudspeakers, "may participants please proceed to the stage for the award ceremony. Thank you."

"Looks like it's time." Suga clapped his hands together purposefully, shooing them all inside. "Come on, let's go, let's go." Kageyama could practically see his tail wagging. How could he be so excited?

"There's no point in being nervous," Suga said, like he'd read his mind. "Win or lose, you all did great." Despite the words, he seemed a bit nervous, pulling on Daichi's sleeve. "R-right? Daichi, back me up here."

"Everything will be fine." Daichi patted Suga's shoulder, touch lingering for long enough to (in Kageyama's opinion) warrant suspicion. "I have confidence in all of you."

" _Daichiii_!" Noya wailed, tackling him in a hug. "You're so manly, dude."

"Get off." Daichi tore him off by the shirt collar, putting on a stern expression. "Come on: act your age and go find a seat."

They continued bickering, the words drowned out by Kageyama's quickening heartbeat. He'd told Hinata not to worry before, which was hypocritical at that moment. He'd made it seem like he was totally calm, but his pulse was hammering against his skin like an animal trying to escape its cage. Despite how much he wanted to _not_ care, more than anything, he _really_ wanted to beat Oikawa.

"—yama. Kageyama!"

"...What?" Kageyama's head snapped up to find Takeda waving at him from a row of seats toward the front. He tugged on Suga's sleeve to get his attention. "Takeda-sensei… saved us seats."

They all shuffled into the row right as the announcer took the stage. "Ladies and gentlemen, the awards process will not begin.

Please settle in your seats."

 _It's time…_ Kageyama's fingertips turned white against the chair arms. _Whether I beat him or not… I'll finally know how much I've changed._

* * *

"We… didn't win." Kageyama sat with his head in his hands, staring at the polished floor tiles, which were beginning to blur.

"Hey, you got second place, so quit whining!" Suga smacked him on the shoulder, clicking his tongue in irritation. "Geez, you shouldn't be that depressed. You clearly won in the emotions department. Besides, you still won against that Oikawa guy, didn't you?"

"I guess…" He lifted his head when someone took his hands: Hinata. He gave a soft, reassuring smile, tugging on his arm gently until he gave in and stood up.

 _Remember what you said?_ Hinata prompted. _'As long as I'm here, you're invincible.' Even if we didn't win, we still left our hearts on the stage, didn't we?_ He smiled sheepishly. _It's weird… Now that we've lost, I feel like I can play even better. Isn't that strange?_

Kageyama looked at him—the one who had inspired him, invade his heart, and forced a duet out of him—and he honestly wanted to cry more at that moment than ever before. A boy alone in the world who shone like the sun and played the piano like no one was watching. If that person could make wear a happy expression after losing the one thing he'd wanted so badly, then… things couldn't be all that bad.

Just like always, Kageyama was dragged along without even realizing it. What was he doing moping around? In the end, he'd achieved his goal: playing music with the one he loved. He'd proved—to himself, more than anyone—how much he'd grown, not only as a violinist, but as a person. There was absolutely nothing to be disappointed about. Not a single thing.

Wiping tears from his eyes, Kageyama looked around at his friends. All the people who had offered him comfort and inspiration—and guidance where he'd had none. They were all ways that he'd changed, too: ways he'd become kinder and more hardworking. The warmth that grew in his chest when he looked at them was almost unbearable.

 _No,_ he told Hinata in the end, _it's not strange at all._ He took Hinata's shoulders, gazing into his eyes earnestly. _With you… I feel like I can take on the whole world._

Before the moment could drag on too long, Suga cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Uh… so, you two are a thing, huh?"

"Wha—" Kageyama nearly choked on air, coughing until he could form a broken sentence. " _How did you know_?"

"So it's true?!" Suga threw up his arms with a victorious hoot. "Ha! Daichi, you owe me two-thousand yen!"

"Are you guys stupid?" Noya interrupted. "It was totally obvious from the start. Kageyama's face turned all stupid whenever they were together." He pressed his cheeks flat. "Like this. Plus, they were all over each other at the Winter Solstice Ball. Weren't you guys there?"

"I noticed when he was with Hinata after he first collapsed," Yachi offered sheepishly. "I mean, the rest of us were sad, of course, but Kageyama was absolutely torn up over it. He wouldn't leave his bedside, even to eat."

"Yeah…" Asahi agreed slowly. "To be honest, I sort of thought they were a couple before I even knew them."

"Oh my god…" Kageyama his face in his hands. Apparently, discretion really wasn't his strong suit. "Just kill me…"

"Before dying, you should take Hinata back," Suga said pointedly. "'Grand Theft Transplant Patient' was the least bright of all your ideas."

"What?" Kageyama's head snapped up. "How did you—"

"You're _really_ bad at hiding things," Suga seethed. He tapped his wrist. "Plus, Hinata still has his hospital bracelet on. Think before you act for once, would you?"

 _Damn, I really am a moron…_ Kageyama lowered his head bashfully. "I'm really sorry… We'll go back right away." He got up to fulfill the promise, but Hinata collapsed into his seat as soon as Kageyama stood. His face looked paler, and his breathing had turned shallow again. He must've strained himself, after all.

 _Are you okay?_ Kageyama knelt beside him, sharing a nervous glance with the other members of their group. No way they'd come that far just for disaster to strike then. _Can you walk at all? Should I carry you back?_ A host of (mainly stupid) solutions were filtering through his head, not offering much real help.

 _No._ Hinata shook his head slowly. _I'm a bit dizzy. I just need to sit here for a second._

 _Okay._ _Take your time._ He turned to Suga and the others. "You guys can go on. We're just going to wait a while and get a taxi."

Suga hesitated. "You sure? We can definitely wait with you."

"I'm sure." Hinata probably didn't want them to see him in that state. "I'll contact you when we make it back safely."

"Suit yourself." Suga herded the rest of the gang to the exit, waving at them over his shoulder. "Take care! If you forget to call or text me, I'll definitely kill you!" The cheerful smile on his face clashed with the offhanded threat. As Kageyama suspected, Suga was a scary person… At least he was their friend.

Once the others had disappeared, Kageyama turned back to Hinata. _Are you sure you're alright? Should I call an ambulance?_

 _Don't you dare,_ Hinata warmed. _Dr. Kyōtani would kill us both, and right now, I really like being alive. I just need to rest for a minute._

"Yo, are you Kageyama Tobio?" a gruff voice demanded from behind him.

"Who's asking?" Kageyama grumbled without bothering to turn around, annoyed by the informality. Who the hell approached a stranger like that? Besides, he was clearly preoccupied.

"I'm with the Hikō Orchestra."

" _Hikō_?" Surely he'd misheard. That orchestra was quite famous—it was run by one of Japan's top conductors, after all. But Hikō was based in Tokyo, so what the hell would they be doing in a tiny, insignificant place like Miyagi?

Kageyama finally turned around. "You serious?"

"Of course I'm serious." The man who scoffed at him was about the same height as Daichi, with strange dyed-blond hair and an unbuttoned suit jacket worn over black jeans and a Yomiuri Giants T-shirt. His punkish style didn't exactly scream 'famous orchestra member.'

Kageyama eyed him warily. "What's your name, then? Why should I believe you?"

"You punk! Show some respect to your elders, huh?" he fumed. "The name's Ukai. I trust you've heard of me?"

"You're... kidding, right?"

Ukai Keishin: famous conductor, second head of the Hikō Orchestra. No way was that blond, informal guy the esteemed musician. Kageyana would sooner eat his violin bow than believe that.

"I'm seriously about to whack you," Ukai threatened irritably. "I came to offer you a job, but I'm about to lose mine for beating the shit out of you instead." He jabbed a finger into Kageyama's chest. "Listen here, buddy; you're gonna have to do a serious personality check if you wanna work with me."

"You didn't even make me an offer yet," Kageyama deadpanned. "Speaking of, why would you _want_ to work with me, anyway? I didn't even win."

Ukai waved a hand dismissively. "Sure, but that's because you don't have a great stage presence." He gestured at Hinata, who was looking a little queasy. "Your partner there is another story, but I came to _you_ for a different reason."

"Okay?" Kageyama tried not to be offended. He wished the Ukai imposter would just end the damn conversation already: Hinata's condition was worsening. "And what reason would that be, exactly?"

"Your composition." Ukai took him by the shoulders, his intensity almost unnerving. "That arrangement… it was _trendsetting_. I never would've expected that quality of work from someone so young, especially an ornery-looking kid like you."

"Thanks?" Again, it was more insult than compliment. "So… you're seriously offering me a job? As a _composer_?"

"And violinist, of course. I don't expect you to give that up." Ukai rummaged around in his jeans pocket until he'd retrieved a crumpled scrap of paper. "This has my number and current address. If you're interested, contact me ASAP. Your friend, too." He peeked over Kageyama's shoulder. "Speaking of, he looks like he's about to keel over."

"Oh crap." Kageyama shoved the paper deep in his pocket and whipped around to attend to Hinata. He did, in fact, look awful. It was his own fault for wasting time talking to a creepy guy...

Ukai seized the chance to escape, backpedaling while Kageyama prepared to grab Hinata. "Think about it! See ya!"

"Wait— _Dammit_." Kageyama clicked his tongue, but there were more pressing matters at hand. He quickly knelt in front of Hinata, patting his shoulder insistently. _Get on. We have to get back quickly._

* * *

"You two are fucking idiots. _Idiots_ , dammit!" Kyōtani fumed. "I don't even care at this point. You went against _direct medical orders_! If I hadn't dedicated my life to saving people, I would _kill_ you!" He paused to take a breath, giving poor Yahaba time to finish translating—although, he left some choice words out.

 _Technically, you didn't expressly forbid it,_ Hinata signed carefully, fiddling with the hospital sheets and refusing to meet the doctor's eyes.

Yahaba seemed nervous to translate, so Kageyama did it for him. Kyōtani didn't like the words any more coming from him. "'Your condition isn't stable enough to leave.' What part of that is unclear, huh?! I swear, I—" He threw up his hands in anger, giving up on the sentence halfway through. "Damn brats… I'm going to have a stroke from this."

"Doctor Kyōtani…" Yahaba grimaced. "You really shouldn't speak this way to patients."

Kyōtani looked like he wanted to blow up at him, but he tried to compose himself as best he could. "I suppose," he tried, "the important thing is that you came back before major damage could be done… Although, Hinata's condition is still extremely sensitive, so don't think you got away with your little scheme free of consequence."

"No…" Kageyama murmured dejectedly. "I know it was really stupid to do that, but since it was the only thing he'd ever really asked for, I couldn't say no."

"Geez…" Kyōtani muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You just might be the most empty-headed, earnest kid I've ever met." He levelled a finger at them both. "Stay here while I go discuss this with my colleagues. If you leave again, you're seriously dead."

"Yes, sir..."

As soon as Kyōtani and Yahaba were gone, Kageyama collapsed in relief. "Oh, thank god… I thought he'd murder us for sure."

 _Yeah, that was too close..._ Hinata beamed. _But we did it! Thank you for humoring me._

 _Sure._ Kageyama's face softened. _Playing my music... that was all you wanted to do, right?_

 _Yeah!_ Hinata nodded emphatically. _We got to show that huge jerk that you're way better than him, and I got to see Yacchan and the others perform, too! It was great._ He settled back against his pillows with a more reserved smile. _I feel way better now that I did it… Still tired, though._

 _Sleep,_ Kageyama ordered, pulling the blanket over his head. _The sooner you recover, the less Kyōtani will have to scold you for._

 _Hey, you'll suffocate me!_ Hinata pushed the covers back, grabbing his wrist. _You, too…_ He averted his gaze, suddenly embarrassed. _II— mean… I want you to stay… if that's okay._

"Geez, give me a break here..." Kageyama covered his face for a moment. "You're just too cute, y'know."

 _Hey, what did you say?_ Hinata pulled at his hand sullenly. _Come on, you know that I can't understand you when you cover your mouth like that. Tobio—_

Kageyama didn't catch the rest of what he said, throwing aside the blankets to climb in beside him. _Be quiet,_ he demanded, pressing Hinata's head against the pillow so he wouldn't see how much he was blushing. _I'll be right here, so just sleep already._

The redhead's bewildered expression morphed into a huge, cheerful grin. He pressed against Kageyama's side, surrounding them both in warmth. _As I thought… you're really kind sometimes, huh?_

 _Maybe so…_ Kageyama sighed, settling closer to him and inhaling his familiar smell. It was so comfortable… It made him want to sleep, too. "That's really only because... I love you."

* * *

 **A/N:** The chapter is finally here! Ukai showed up, and while not many other new characters were introduced, you'll get to meet some of them in the upcoming few chapters! Kyōtani really gave it to 'em lmao~ Which is good, bc disclaimer: don't ever go against doctors' orders y'all.

Anyway, thank you all for your patience! (*ˊᗜˋ*)/ Enjoy the update! (｡•̀ᴗ-)

The song featured in this chapter is Andante Affettuosso by Brian Crain (- I really like this guy, if you couldn't tell lol.)


	26. Sonata No 1 in G Minor, Adagio

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

 **-❤- Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, Adagio -❤-**

* * *

Two weeks passed by in no time at all, and Hinata continued to grow stronger. Kageyama started attending class again—keeping Hinata caught up, as well—and finally had time to go look into that imposter Ukai's job offer. Not that he didn't believe him—but he didn't believe him. The idea that a famous composer could want anything to do with him was far-fetched, to say the least.

On a Saturday when Hinata was busy with physical therapy, Kageyama dug up the scrap of paper with Ukai's info and called a cab.

Outside, snow dusted the ground like powdered sugar, but the winter chill had finally begun to subside. It was still cold enough that it would be a pain to stay out for too long. Luckily, the address wasn't far from the hospital. Kageyama figured he'd be back well before noon, when he'd promised to eat lunch with Hinata.

"A hotel?" he murmured once he'd arrived, peering up at the rundown place skeptically.

"You sure you want to go in there, kid?" the taxi driver asked with clear concern. "It doesn't seem like a very decent place."

"Thanks… but I think I'll be okay." He bowed his head. "Thank you for the ride."

"Alright, but don't get in too much trouble." The engine started up again and the driver waved to him.

Kageyama waved before turning back to the hotel's plain front wall. It really did look suspicious, with an unassuming brown facade and a flickering signpost. Why would a famous conductor be staying in such a rundown place? None of it added up. Was Kageyama seriously about to be murdered or something?

"Whatever…" he murmured, shoving his hands deeper in his pockets. "I guess Shōyō knows where I went, if anything happens." He approached the hotel doors, retrieving the paper from his pocket to check for a room number. "Two-twenty…"

Ignoring the obvious sketchiness of the situation, Kageyama went past the front desk and straight to the elevators. The fewer people he had to talk to, the better. Although, that also meant fewer witnesses…

 _Maybe I'm overthinking this._ Kageyama practically punched the number two button, wiping the sweat from his palms. _What reason would this guy have to kidnap me, anyway? There's no way my mom would pay ransom. 'That pessimistic freeloader? You can have him!' is what she'd say. Hinata wouldn't be able to pay it, either._

The elevator dinged, nearly giving him a heart attack. Kageyama skulked down the hall, feeling ridiculous. _Stop acting like a freak. It's not like he asked to meet me in a dark alleyway. I'm coming to see him on my own. Just calm down._

Kageyama paused outside room two-twenty, taking a steaming breath. He raised a hand to knock before he could chicken out, working to convince himself that he was being stupid the entire time. _You can totally take Ukai in a fight,_ anyway, he rationalized after the third knock. You took judo. You're fine.

The door opened, and Kageyama's thoughts came to a dead stop when he found himself staring at a familiar face. "Wait a second... _Takeda-sensei_?" He blinked, making sure he wasn't seeing things. "What are you doing here?"

"K-Kageyama, um…" Takeda cleared his throat, avoiding eye contact as he fixed his noticeable disheveled clothes. Had he been fighting with Ukai or something? How did they know each other? "That is…" Takeda couldn't seem to find the right words, mumbling incoherently.

From behind him, someone grumbled, "Ittetsu, who is it?"

"Please wait a moment!" Takeda slammed the door in Kageyama's face, and there was the sound of crashes and raised voices before it was finally opened again.

Ukai squinted at Kageyama, blond hair stuck up at odd angles. "Kageyama? I honestly didn't expect you to come. You really should've called me first. I could've left already, y'know."

"Well, I— I didn't expect you to be at a hotel," Kageyama stammered, thrown off by his disheveled appearance. "You said it was your address, so I assumed you had a place here." He crossed his arms so he wouldn't feel so awkward. "How do you know Takeda-sensei? Is he in trouble with you or something?"

"Oh, uh… Ittetsu?" Ukai scratched his cheek, glancing over his shoulder. "We're… old childhood friends. We went to Karasuno together."

"Ah… That's right." The nurse had mentioned something about that while they were at the hospital. She'd said Ukai had gone off to start his own orchestra… He wasn't lying, after all. "So you really want to hire me, then?"

" _Yes_." Ukai rolled his eyes. "The fact that you came here without believing me is worrisome. Why don't you come inside and we'll talk?"

* * *

 _You're back early._ Hinata was sitting in a chair by the window waiting for him when Kageyama returned. _How'd it go?_

 _Good? I'm not exactly sure._ Kageyama crossed the room and sat across from him, sighing through his teeth. _He was the real deal, but he's crazy bad at being nice. He offered me a position as a violinist and composer—and he wants me to move to Kyoto immediately if I accept the job._

 _Well, that's good, right?_ Hinata smiled slightly, although, there wasn't much feeling behind it. _Isn't it your dream to be an orchestral violinist? You should take the offer._

 _Hey, don't worry._ As always, Kageyama could read him like a book. _I wouldn't ever leave you behind like that. Besides, he said he wants to hire you, too._

 _Really?_ Hinata perked up immediately. _You're not kidding?_

 _I'm dead serious._ Kageyama scowled. _He seriously said that you "must be incredibly patient" to deal with me and that "anyone who can play partnered with such an impatient guy" deserves a spot in his orchestra. Can you believe that? I'm not impatient, am I?_

 _Sometimes._ Hinata covered a grin behind his hand. _Ukai-san seems like an interesting person._

 _More like annoying._ Kageyama glared out the window, pausing when he remembered something. _Oh yeah… I forgot: he knows Takeda-sensei. They used to be a duet pair, back when they were our age._

 _No way!_ Hinata sat up straighter. _I guess I knew Takeda-sensei played something, but I didn't even consider that he could've gone to our school before becoming a teacher. And on top of that, he was partnered with the famous Ukai? That's so awesome!_

His excitement was infectious. _Yeah, I guess so._ Kageyama couldn't help but let a small smile slip. _Hey, since he wants to work with both of us, we'll wait until you're recovered and go see him together. How does that sound?_

 _You would really wait for me? Even though this is your dream?_ Hinata bit his lip. _I don't want to hold you back…_

 _Don't be ridiculous,_ Kageyama said firmly. _It might be one of my dreams, but… I've got another one now, too._ He squeezed Hinata's hand. _Dr. Kyōtani said that you'd be released in a few more weeks. After that, we'll figure things out, together. Okay?_

 _Okay._ Hinata sniffled, wiping at his eyes. _You dummy… you're making me cry._

Kageyama jumped out of his chair and tackled him in a hug, basking in the warmth of Hinata's huge grin and silent laughter. His treasure hunt might've been completed, but he still had something big that he needed to do…

"Oi, _dammit you_!" Kyōtani appeared, wielding a clipboard like a weapon. "Kageyama, how many times have I told you to keep your grubby hands off my patient, huh?!"

"Sorry! _Ow_ — I'm sorry!"

* * *

 _Are you sure that's the right piece?_ Hinata frowned at the puzzle situated on his tray table. _It really doesn't fit at all..._

 _Shut up,_ Kageyama responded defensively. _I know what I'm doing, okay?_ He shoved the piece further into the open space, but it wouldn't go in no matter how hard he tried. _Dammit, this is stupid! Who invented puzzles, anyway?!_

"Beaten by a common puzzle... Why am I not surprised?"

Kageyama whipped around to glare at a grinding Sugawara, who stood in the doorway beside Daichi and Noya. "Suga, if you came here just to make fun of me, you better leave right now."

The trio ducked into the room, Suga throwing an arm around Kageyama's neck, nearly knocking him over. "Don't be silly! We came to check in on Hinata, of course. Yachi, Asahi, and Shimizu were behind us, but I think they stopped off at the café."

"All six of you came?" Kageyama grimaced. "Doctor Kyōtani is gonna bite my head off…"

"Not if he doesn't find out," Noya said in a sing-song voice. "We bribed Yahaba to keep him distracted. I'd say we have about thirty minutes."

" _Ugh_." Kageyama rolled his eyes. "Fine, get in here and close the door."

The group filtered in obediently, closing the door behind them. Noya ran over to Hinata's bedside and gave him a one-armed hug, dumping a pile of magazines on his bedside table. "Here ya go, Shōyō: for if you get bored of doing puzzles with Mr. Scowls-A-Lot here."

"Hey!" Kageyama growled. "What the hell is with you guys, huh? Don't all gang up on me at once."

"You just make it so _easy_."

"Hey, he's right," Daichi said in exasperation, pulling Noya away by the elbow before Kageyama could throttle him. "We're not here to argue. We really only stopped by to let you know that Takeda has arranged special remedial lessons for Hinata, to ensure that he's ready for graduation in April."

"Ah… that's good news." Kageyama turned to Hinata. _Did you catch all that?_

He nodded, eyes shining enthusiastically. _This is great! Even with your help, I was worried I'd be too far behind. Thank them all for me!_

"Sorry to intrude." Asahi and the others chose that moment to arrive, peeking their heads in timidly. "We brought drinks for everyone."

"Ah, you guys are the best!" Noya sprang up to hug Asahi, nearly making him spill the drinks he was carrying.

"Stop it, Y— AHH!"

Daichi took the cup holder from him mere seconds before disaster. "You two, cut it out already! This is a _hospital_!"

"Ow…" Asahi mumbled, crushed underneath a grinning Nishinoya. "We're sorry…"

Yachi ignored their bickering and approached Hinata, Shimizu right behind her. "Hinata, I brought you the notebooks from your room. I figured you'd probably want them, and the headmaster said it was alright."

 _No way!_ Hinata beamed at her while Kageyama translated, accepting the stack enthusiastically. _I've been missing these. Thank you so much!_

Yachi hesitated a moment before signing, _You're welcome._ When Hinata clapped for her, she waved the praise away shyly. "I've just been practicing a little with Asahi! Since we're friends and all, I thought I'd make an effort. It's not a big deal…"

"Don't be modest, Yacchan," Noya butted in, earning an annoyed glance from Shimizu. "It's _super_ hard to learn a language!"

"Not really…" Kageyama muttered.

"Coming from the annoying prodigy who's good at anything he takes interest in," Noya retorted, sticking out his tongue. "Seriously, you tick me off. You like the violin, so you're good at it; you like Hinata, so you're good at sign language. Makes me wanna punch you a little."

"Leave him alone," Daichi scolded, smacking the back of Noya's head hard enough to knock him off balance. "We're here to visit, not cause trouble, got it? How many times do I have to repeat myself?"

"If you _all_ don't be quiet, somebody's gonna come in here!" Suga hissed, silencing everyone with one of his rare death-glares. "Now, we don't have much time left, so let's all say our piece and go before we give Hinata a heart attack or something."

"Awww, _fine_ ," Noya pouted. "We're sorry, Hinata."

 _It's okay!_ Hinata smiled sheepishly. _I'm sorry we don't have much time; although, there isn't all that much for us to catch up on. I don't really do anything, so…_

 _We just like talking to you,_ Asahi told him. _You're a very bright person, Hinata._

 _He's right,_ Kageyama agreed. _Almost too bright, sometimes. You hurt my eyes._

Asahi burst out laughing. _Right? Even his hair is bright!_

"Hey, you guys are leaving us out here," Noya complained, slamming into Asahi's side like a cat seeking attention. "Say, Shōyō... it probably sounds insensitive, but can you actually talk? I've just always wondered."

Hinata shook his head. _Nope. My vocal cords were damaged along with my ears when I was a kid, so I can't talk or hear._ _I think my grandparents have recordings of my voice, though._

"Really?" Suga pondered once Kageyama had finished translating. "I can't even imagine what your voice would sound like… Probably cute, huh? Now I want to hear it." He paused. "Your grandparents, huh? Where are they, anyway? Shouldn't they be here with you?"

 _They actually live in Tokyo._ Hinata rubbed his neck sheepishly. _They're old, so it's hard for them to get around. Since I'm an adult, and since I have Kageyama here with me, I told them it was fine for them to stay home._

Kageyama left out the part about him, feeling a blush creep up his neck. Luckily, Suga seemed to accept the answer without much thought. "Oh, I see." Before he could say anything else, his phone buzzed. "Ah, crap: that's our thirty minutes. Everyone, say your goodbyes."

The group gave their enthusiastic farewells before Suga herded them back out into the hall, shushing a laughing Nishinoya. He was the last to go, waving to them with a kind smile before disappearing down the hall with the others like a whirlwind.

Kageyama sank against Hinata's mattress once they were gone. _That was exhausting…_

 _It's good to see them, though._ Hinata beamed. _They took the time to visit just to talk. It's nice. That's how you can tell someone cares about you, y'know what I mean?_

 _Yeah, I guess you're right._ Kageyama took his hand, glancing out the window. Flurries spiraled past, melting against the frosted glass. _Ah… Hey look, it's snowing._

 _It's pretty._ Hinata was turned away, so he didn't see Kageyama watching him.

"Yeah…" he murmured. "It is."

If it was possible to commit that scene to memory—Hinata, with soft winter light painting his face and a smile on his lips—he wanted to capture it as vividly as possible. It was something he wanted to hold on to more than anything.

They sat there watching the snow together, and Kageyama felt, for once, that everything was going to be fine.

* * *

 **A/N:** Sorry for the late update! I had some other things I had to do, but the chapter is here! ^-^ We got some hints of Ukatake in this chapter huhu~~ I love them to bits ugh.

We're so close to the end guys! ;-; It's honestly making me a bit emotional. I hope you all are as in love with this story as I am, and I'm immensely glad I got to share it with you all. I'll be sad to see it come to an end, but I have a series of one-shots planned that will come out after the story finishes, so you'll have that to look forward to 3

The song featured in this chapter is Bach's Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, Adagio c:


	27. Symphony No 40 in G Minor, Molto Allegro

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

 **-❤- Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, Molto Allegro -❤-**

* * *

 _Whoa, this place is so big…_ Hinata craned his neck to look at the ceiling of the Kyoto concert hall, mouth wide open and eyes shining. _It's so cool… Will we really get to play here?_

 _If this goes well, then yes. Now come on._ Kageyama took his hand, afraid he might wander off.

Hinata was finally well enough to travel, so Kageyama had set up an informal meeting with Ukai to audition for the orchestra. They'd taken a train down to Kyoto, and to Hinata, it was practically a different country. He'd kept pointing at things on the way, beaming like a kid on Christmas morning. Kyoto Concert Hall made him go absolutely _ballistic_.

 _Kageyama, Kageyama, look at that!_ He pulled on his arm, pointing up at the geometric ceiling pattern. _This is so awesome! I wish Karasuno had a ceiling like that!_

 _You get distracted way too easily. We're going to be late._ Kageyama re-secured his grip and dragged Hinata down the hall again, ignoring his half-formed protests.

The music hall was full of adults in fancy suits and dresses, all looking at them like they were out of place—which they clearly were. Even though Hinata had forced him to dress fancy, Kageyama knew it was easy to tell their young age. Most of the musicians eyeing them were older, in their early thirties. It made him nervous being watched so closely…

"Oi, there you are!" Ukai pounced on them both as soon as they entered the auditorium. "It's about time you degenerates showed up. You think it's funny to be late to your own audition, huh? Damn unreliable kids."

"Sorry." Kageyama bowed apologetically. "We got… distracted on the way."

"Whatever," Ukai scoffed, shoving them toward the stage impatiently. "Get up there and play your competition piece. Everyone's dying to hear it, and I've got a lot of talk to back up here."

"Okay, quit pushing already," Kageyama grumbled, shaking off his arm once they reached the stage. Ukai retreated back to the front row of seats, gesturing for him to hurry up.

Hinata eagerly took a seat at the piano, eyes gleaming. He ran his fingers across the pristine ivory keys with obvious excitement written all over his face. Kageyama rolled his eyes, waving at him to get his attention. _Hey, even the piano distracts you? Will you even be ready to play?_

 _I'm ready!_ Hinata fired back, taking a proper playing stance. _Just say the word!_

Kageyama couldn't help but let a smile slip, shrugging as he took out his violin. _Whatever you say. Get ready._ He raised the bow, receiving a nod of confirmation from Hinata. Ukai was watching them expectantly, and more than anything, Kageyama _really_ wanted to blow his mind.

 _Just you wait,_ Kageyama swore inwardly. _You're gonna get way more than you bargained for, old man._

Biting back a grin, he signaled to Hinata and struck the first note.

* * *

"Damn, they really are as good as you said!"

"What else did you expect? I'm a professional, y'know."

"Still, it's unlike you to take such an interest, Ukai-san!"

"Right, right? It's super out of character~"

Kageyama glanced from person to person, struggling to keep up with the conversation. The whole freaking orchestra was throwing words back and forth. How annoying to be talked about like he wasn't there.

Hinata tugged on Kageyama's sleeve anxiously. _I can't focus on everyone at once… What are they saying?_

 _They're just being annoying,_ Kageyama told him with a scowl. _Wait a moment._

"Oi, think you could include us in this conversation?" The words came out more informally than he meant them to, but Kageyama stood by them. "You're the one who invited us here, so don't exclude us."

One of the orchestra members giggled into her hand. "Ooh, I like him!"

Ukai ignored her. "Well put, Kageyama." He glanced at the person beside him, nudging them with his knee. "What do you have to say, Ushijima? You're more quiet than usual."

" _Ushijima_?" Kageyama repeated, nearly falling out of his seat. As in _Ushijima Wakatoshi_ , the famous cellist who'd graduated first in his class from Shiratorizawa, the top music academy in Tokyo. Kageyama was seriously going to have a heart attack if he kept meeting famous people…

"They're good," Ushijima said apathetically, ignoring Kageyama's star-struck expression. "There are a lot of areas for improvement, but the raw skill is there." His eyes pierced into Kageyama's very soul like icy needles. "You composed that piece yourself?"

"Uh… yeah." He fidgeted, feeling like a bug under a microscope. "It was me… I wrote it for this guy." He pointed at Hinata. For some reason, he couldn't seem to shut up.

"Is that so?" Ushijima turned his intense gaze on Hinata, who flinched under the attention. "You look familiar."

 _I'm sure we've never met before,_ Hinata signed nervously, earning the first genuine reaction Kageyama had seen out of Ushijima.

"You don't speak?" He paused. "Sorry, that was insensitive."

 _It's okay…_ Hinata glanced at Kageyama with a ' _Please help me!'_ look.

"Um… Ushijima-san," he spoke up, "if you don't mind my asking, are you a member of this orchestra?" He couldn't remember ever hearing that he was associated with Hikō—and he _definitely_ would've heard.

"As of now, yes." Ushijima crossed his arms, glancing at Ukai. "This person wouldn't stop asking me until I agreed."

Ukai shrugged. "Hey, what do you expect? Orchestra is a cut-throat business. Somebody else would've snapped you up if I didn't. Same with these two." He refocused on Kageyama and Hinata. "You two have indisputable talent: there's no doubt about that. If you're up for it, I've got spots for you both."

"Are— Are you serious?" Kageyama was proud of how well he controlled his voice when all he wanted to do was shout. "But w-we've still got classes, though…"

Everyone went dead silent. The woman who had been bugging Ukai before tapped his shoulder. "Say, Ukai-san… how old are these two, exactly?"

"Hey, don't look at me like that!" Ukai grumbled, swatting her hand away irritably. "They're nineteen and twenty—but they're both in their last year of university, so don't go glaring at me!"

"You cradle-snatcher!" the woman exclaimed, whacking him on the shoulder. "Snatching kids right out of school? Shameless, as always."

"P-please hold on a moment…" Kageyama begged, afraid things might escalate. "We'll obviously have to think it over, but… neither of us has refused or accepted the offer yet." He nudged Hinata, who quickly nodded his agreement. "See? So please give us some time to talk it over."

"How mature," a new voice piped up, startling Kageyama. The speaker popped up from the seat behind Ushijima like a rabbit coming out of its hovel, beaming a little bit _too_ enthusiastically. "These guys are interesting. Can we keep them, Wakatoshi? Can we, can we?"

For once, Ushijima's composure crumbled and he let out an exasperated sigh. "Why are you asking _me_ , Tendō? Ukai-san is the one who would decide that."

"You're no fun at all!" The newcomer Tendō clambered over the seat like a little kid, shaking Kageyama and Hinata's hands energetically. "Nice to meetcha! I do hope you guys join us. It's too boring around here right now."

Ukai's forehead twitched in irritation. "Hey, who exactly is it that signs your paychecks?" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ugh, whatever… I'm just going to ignore you for the sake of everyone here. Kageyama, you graduate in April, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"Then I'll give you until then to decide. Think carefully."

* * *

 _That was intense…_ Hinata paused in the lobby, releasing a tense breath. _I thought my heart might stop for a second in there._

 _Yeah._ Kageyama paused, feeling the tension slowly release from his shoulders when he laughed. _You're telling me. I had no idea freaking Ushijima would be there… I think I was probably gaping at him like a moron._

Hinata beamed. _Yeah, it was pretty funny! I've never seen you look so shocked… Well, except for when we first kissed._

"What—" Kageyama face exploded in a blush. _Idiot, what kind of things are you saying in public?!_

Hinata hid a smile behind his hand. _Y'know, I thought so before, but you really have an endearing side to you, huh?_ He reached for Kageyama's hand and squeezed it gently. _Hey, while we're here, do you want to go sightseeing? It would be a waste to go straight home._ Hinata was hugging his arm by the end of the sentence, so close that Kageyama could barely form a single coherent thought.

 _Yeah, whatever you want…_ His heart was still beating out of his chest when he agreed, and only on the way out the door did Kageyama realize he'd just been duped. It was hard to care when Hinata was smiling so adorably, though. He was so _cute_ … Kageyama's heart seriously couldn't take it.

Sometimes, he was so happy that it shocked him a little bit. Seeing another person and being happier than he was being alone… It was its own kind of magic. If Kageyama's mom could see him grinning secretly like a love-sick idiot, she would probably die laughing.

 _Hey, you're making faces again,_ Hinata said, poking him between the eyebrows. _You're gonna walk into a pole and get brain trauma._

 _I am not!_ Kageyama pushed him lightly. Hinata bumped him right back, linking their fingers with a bright smile. He really was like the sun. It was definitely its own kind of magic.

 _Wow, you're smiling!_ Hinata pulled him to a stop. _Hang on: it's so rare! I need to memorize this expression._

Normally, Kageyama would've been embarrassed, but instead, he just felt insanely happy. _Shut up. You're the only one who gets to see this, okay?_ He intertwined their fingers, pulling Hinata closer to his side. He pointed across the street with his free hand. "Hey, let's go to the park."

* * *

It was nice to walk in silence. Kageyama couldn't remember a time when he'd ever felt so peaceful. A street musician was playing the violin close by and Hinata was leaning against his shoulder, snow flurries spiraling into his hair. It felt truly perfect.

"Hey…" Kageyama paused, grabbing Hinata's shoulders so they were standing face-to-face. He made sure he was looking at him before he continued, "I'm going to tell you something serious. You don't have to say anything, okay?"

Hinata nodded, staring up at him expectantly.

"Here it goes…" Kageyama let out a long, shaky breath. He'd been rehearsing the words over and over again in his head a million different times, but that didn't make them any easier to say.

It had been such a long, _long_ journey. If someone had told Kageyama a year ago he'd be standing in a park about to deliver a proposal—to another guy, nonetheless—he would've called them insane. There he was, though, and he couldn't imagine his life any other way.

What if they had never met? What if, so long ago, he hadn't ditched the tour guide? Would they still be where they were at that moment? It was crazy to imagine all the things that could be different. If even a single thing had changed, they wouldn't have met at all.

Remembering everything they'd been through together, it was hard to believe it had only been a little over half a year since they'd first met outside that empty music room. Was it even possible to fall in love with someone so quickly? To fall so deeply and completely that you didn't even know how to go on without that person?

Kageyama probably would've said no, if it weren't for Hinata. Looking at him, red hair covered in snow and cheeks pink from the cold, Kageyama saw his entire world—and it honestly terrified him. How could he say no when there was such a warm feeling in his chest? That feeling was love, without a doubt.

He loved Hinata. Really, truly, and deeply: a love that was terrifying and all-encompassing. Thinking about the past was worthless when the future was standing in front of him, within arm's reach.

"Shōyō." He said his name once, to prove how serious he was. "Whatever happens in the future, whether we take the job with Ukai or we don't... whatever happens until we graduate—and after that—I want to be with you, no matter what."

Hinata's eyes widened when Kageyama took both of his hands, holding them close to his heart. "If you'll let me stay by your side, both now and in the future… it would make me incredibly happy." He could feel tears stinging his eyes. "Because I love you… I love you so much, it hurts."

For a second, Kageyama thought _Hinata_ might cry. Then, his face blossomed into the biggest, brightest smile of all. He jumped up, tackling Kageyama in a bear hug.

"H-hey—!" His feet slipped against the slick path and they crashed into the snow, sending up a cloud of white. "Wha— Be careful, you idiot," Kageyama gasped out, securing his grip on Hinata's waist. "You could've gotten hurt!"

Hinata shook his head, burying his beaming face in Kageyama's neck. He squeezed him so tightly, he thought his ribs might break.

"C'mon," Kageyama mumbled, rubbing his freezing neck. There was snow down his shirt. "We can't stay down here or we'll get frostbite." He pulled Hinata to his feet, but the redhead still wouldn't let him go. "Hey, you're gonna crush me at this rate—" Hinata pushed up on his tiptoes, cutting him off with a freezing cold kiss that left Kageyama's head spinning.

When he pulled away again, he was grinning even more brightly than before. _You know,_ _Tobio… to me, that sounded a lot like a marriage proposal._

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm genuinely very emotional guys... This is the last official chapter, apart from the epilogue, which will be released on Thursday. I'm sad to see this story come to an end. It's been a crazy, fantastic ride, and I want to sincerely thank everyone who stuck with it. I love this story and I am so proud to see it finally completed. I'm glad I could share this piece of my heart with you all ;-;

While I am sad to see the story come to a close, it won't be ending for good! There will be a short series of one-shots released next week, so if you have any scenes that you want to see taking place before, during, or after the narrative, please tell me and I'll do my best to include them! ^-^

Once again, a huge thanks to everyone who supported the story! I appreciate the love and I'm glad I could share this with you all c:

The song featured in this chapter is Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, Molto Allegro.


	28. Rimani and A Love Story

**Epilogue**

 **-❤- Rimani / A Love Story -❤-**

* * *

"Kageyama, you'll be late for the ceremony if you don't hurry up." Suga pounded on Kageyama's door impatiently. "Come on: everybody's waiting for you!"

"Hold on!" Kageyama yelled back, fumbling with his tie. "Just— Just come in here, would you?"

Suga opened the door, raising an eyebrow when he saw Kageyama strangling himself with the piece of silk. "Um… want some help?"

"Please." Kageyama relinquished the tie, swallowing back his pride. "Who decided to invent that death trap, anyway? It's even worse than cufflinks."

Suga chuckled. "It's a constraint of modern society, my friend. Just think: you want to look your best for the ones you love, right?"

"I guess…" Kageyama mumbled. "You sound like my mom."

Suga finished tying the Windsor knot and clapped him on the shoulder. "Then listen to your mother's words and be on your best behavior." He broke into a grin. "Hinata and the others are all in the auditorium already. I think they saved us seats."

"Okay." Kageyama pulled on his shirt collar, hands shaking a bit. "It's hard to believe we're graduating… It doesn't feel real."

"Well, get used to it." Suga shepherded him out the door. "The future's ahead, and it's incredibly impatient. Get a move on."

"Alright, alright; quit pushing me." Kageyama shoved Suga ahead of him, adjusting his navy suit jacket for the millionth time. He just couldn't get used to dressing fancy. Formal wear was so _stuffy_. At least he'd get to see Hinata in a suit again. The last time had been at the Winter Solstice Ball.

"You're making a concerning expression."

"I wish people would stop _saying_ that!" Kageyama exclaimed, covering his face self-consciously. "Am I really that easy to read?"

Suga shrugged. "Eh, not particularly. You can tell you're thinking something, but what exactly it is is hard to say." He raised an eyebrow. "Why? Got something to hide?"

"Not at all." Kageyama cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Oh look, there's Yachi waiting for us."

She waved at them right on cue. "Suga, Kageyama, it's about time! I thought you guys weren't gonna make it." She pulled them inside by the arm, moving towards a row of seats towards the front. "They're about to start."

She let them both in ahead of her, squeezing in at the end with Shimizu. Kageyama was left on the opposite side, next to Hinata's empty seat. His questioning glance was answered by Nishinoya. "He's in the bathroom." He leaned closer, whispering conspiratorially, "Did you get the ring yet, Kageyama?"

" _Noya_!" The entire row shushed him, earning glares from the rest of the audience.

Suga shot him 'I'll-kill-you' eyes. "Nishinoya, are you _trying_ to get him found out? It's supposed to be on the down-low—the Marianas Trench-level down-low, got it?"

"It was just a question!" Noya protested. "Yes or no?"

Kageyama glanced around nervously. " _Yes_ , okay? But I'm still not sure when I'm going to ask."

Yachi clapped. "Ooh, I'm so excited for you! There's nothing more romantic than a spring proposal." She sighed dreamily. "Just imagine: all the cherry blossoms are in bloom, and the weather is perfect. If I could choose when I would get proposed to, I'd definitely pick the spring!"

Shimizu pushed her glasses up, obviously taking a mental note, and Kageyama rolled his eyes. "I'm not doing it because it's spring, though. Now is the perfect time, considering we've already sent our boxes ahead to the apartment and the flight to Kyoto is tomorrow night. Everything else is taken care of, except for this. There's a park nearby that's perfect."

Suga snickered. "You make it sound so professional, Kageyama. Let loose a little, would you? A proposal is supposed to be the happiest moment of your life. Don't you have a romantic bone somewhere in your body—"

"Shut up, here comes Hinata!"

Hinata gave them a suspicious look when he sat down—probably because they were all sweating like popsicles in the sun. _What were you guys talking about?_

 _Nothing!_ Kageyama said quickly. _Oh look, they're about to start._

* * *

"Did you and Hinata-kun arrive safely, Tobio?"

"Mom, I literally said I would call you when we got to the apartment." Kageyama held his phone with one hand, handing Hinata the apartment keys with the other. "We're outside the door right now. _No_ , I wasn't going to forget to call. _Mom_ , really. I've gotta go now. I'll call you again later. _Yes_ , I really will! Oh my god. Okay, I'm going now." He hung up before she could go on a tirade. "Ugh…"

Hinata grinned at him from the apartment doorway, slipping the key into his sweatshirt pocket. _Your mom again? She called twice before the flight, and then again when we landed. She must be really worried._

 _Not only her: Suga and Yachi both spammed me with messages._ Kageyama followed him inside the apartment, setting down his bag. _I don't know what their problem is. It's not like we're children._ Although, they probably really wanted to know how his proposal plan was going… He'd thrown out the park idea, figuring it was better for the moment to be private. He just had to buck up the courage to do it—preferably before they both died of old age.

 _They're just looking out for us._ Hinata kicked off his shoes, wandering further inside. _Wow, this place is even bigger than I remembered..._

 _Well, we can afford it with what Ukai pays._ Kageyama went and wrapped his arms around Hinata from behind, glancing around at all their unpacked boxes. They had a lot of work to do to make it feel like home, but still… to think they had a place of their own. He felt like he was dreaming.

Hinata tapped Kageyama's arm to get his hands back. _We should start unpacking now. There's a lot to do, and Ukai wants us to meet up with him tonight, too._ He frowned at the piles of boxes. _I don't even know where to start…_

 _Yeah._ Kageyama swallowed the nervous lump building in his throat. _Before that, though… I have a surprise for you._

 _A surprise?_ Hinata eyed him suspiciously. _Good or bad?_

 _Good—at least, I hope._ When Hinata raised an eyebrow, Kageyama laughed and lightly pushed him. _Just close your eyes for ten seconds._

 _Okay, fine. I guess I trust you..._ Hinata sighed and closed his eyes. _I'm counting._

Oh god. There was no going back. The ring was in his jacket pocket and he was already reaching for it, no holds barred. He'd been carrying it around for two months, waiting—or, rather, chickening out every time he got close to proposing. But there was nothing left to use as an excuse to push it back, and in the end, Kageyama really just wanted to be engaged to Hinata instead of living with the idea of it.

 _You can do this,_ he told himself, pulling out the box that he'd been holding onto for so long. He knelt down. The ten seconds were almost up.

Hinata opened his eyes slowly. When they settled on Kageyama, his mouth dropped into a shocked little 'O'—just like when they'd first met. He looked from the ring to Kageyama's face and back, eyes growing misty. _Is this real?_ He wiped away the first tear. _This better not be a joke…_

Kageyama stood up again and took Hinata's hand gently. "I've never been more serious about anything." He pushed a strand of red hair behind his ear, touch lingering on his cheek. "Shōyō… marry me?"

The floodgates burst. Hinata tackled him and they went down hard, collapsing in a tangle of limbs on the hardwood floor. Kageyama knew the situation well, so he hugged him back, waiting out the flow of tears. He felt like crying, too, out of sheer relief. That reaction had to be good, right? Judging from how tightly he was being squeezed, Hinata was beyond thrilled.

Kageyama eventually had to push them into an upright position, before his legs fell off. "Hey, is that a yes? This ring in carving a circle into my palm."

 _Yes!_ Hinata wiped his face with a giddy smile. _Of course, you idiot! I was starting to think you'd never ask me._

"I wanted it to be perfect." Kageyama slipped the ring over his finger carefully. He grinned. "Then I realized that it was already going to be perfect, because it was you I was asking."

 _Stupid…_ Hinata covered his face. _Just shut up and kiss me. You're gonna make me cry again._

* * *

"So, did you do it?!" Suga exclaimed as soon as Kageyama's call went through.

In the background, Daichi shouted, "He definitely did it!"

Tell me everything!" Suga plowed on without waiting for a real answer. "What did he say? What did he do? Wait, before all that—he said yes, didn't he? He definitely did, right?"

"Suga," Kageyama interrupted, "take a breath. He said yes." He held the phone away from his ear in preparation for the screech.

"OH MY GOD, _CONGRATULATIONS_!" burst from the speakers with static loudness. "When's the wedding gonna be?!"

"Suga, it happened literally twenty minutes ago."

"Ooh, so you're saying you're open to suggestions, then?"

" _No_." Kageyama pinched the bridge of his nose. "I only called you because you kept bugging me about it. We're about to go meet Ukai, but I wanted to make sure you're coming to the housewarming party tomorrow. Yachi said you two were the only ones who hadn't decided."

"We just had to make sure our schedules were clear, but we'll definitely be there. It's still at seven, right?"

"Yeah. Hinata is glaring at me from the door, so I'm gonna go. I'll text you the address later." He hung up, going to ruffle Hinata's hair. _Don't look so unhappy. It doesn't suit you._

 _What if I want all your attention?_ Hinata stuck his tongue out teasingly. _We're engaged now, after all. I can monopolize you a little more. More like, 'Hey, only look at me, Tobio!'_

Kageyama's face exploded in an instant blush. The words made him stupidly, insanely happy, like the moron he was. _What are you saying suddenly, dumbass?_ He took Hinata by the hand, pulling him out the door before he could say something more embarrassing. _Let's go already._

 _Aww, you really do have a cute side!_ Hinata beamed happily, adjusting his grip to make walking a bit easier as they moved out onto the sidewalk.

The late April sunlight cast long shadows over the cherry blossom trees lining the streets, showering their petals into the road. Spring in Kyoto was somewhere prettier than in Miyagi, but Kageyama was a poor judge of things like that. Besides, _everything_ with Hinata beside him looked ten times more beautiful.

Kageyama's phone buzzed, ruining the nice thought. He pulled it from his pocket to find a series of texts from Ukai. 'Where are you,' 'You better not be late,' 'It's only your fourth practice and you're already being flaky,' 'Get here in five or you die.' His punctuation was terrible…

'We're two minutes away now,' he texted back, thanking God they'd picked a place close to the music hall.

They'd only been working with the orchestra for a week, and Ukai was already running them ragged. But despite the endless hours of practice, tyrannical leadership, and sheer lack of sleep, Kageyama felt more satisfied than he ever had before. Everything seemed to have fallen into place perfectly.

Life sure was a strange thing.

* * *

 _Everyone will be arriving soon, so get ready to greet them._ Hinata delivered the order while struggling to replace a picture that had fallen off a high shelf. Eventually, he gave to and gave Kageyama a pleading look. _Please help me._

Kageyama reached over his shoulder and set it back in its place, pausing to admire the photo. _Hey, this… it's the first picture we ever took together. Remember?_

 _Yeah…_ Hinata smiled softly at the image: the two of them at a lunch table, throwing up stupid cliché peace signs. _You were even worse at taking pictures then! Look at that confused face you're making._

 _That was only because the pose felt embarrassing!_ Kageyama protested. _I was also probably giddy to be taking a picture with you. I told you that I liked you even then, but I was way too nervous to confess._

 _But you weren't obvious about it at all!_ Hinata pouted. _I really had no idea until the dance. When you grabbed my hand during the fireworks, I suddenly had the thought of, 'Oh, he likes me.' I felt pretty dumb for not realizing sooner, because I also realized you always made this loaded expression while watching me._ He grinned. _It was definitely a pining face._

 _No way!_ Kageyama swatted his arm. Hinata latched onto his wrist, pulling him into a tight hug. "Hey, don't you hide your face! I never made any kind of pining expression!" He gave up and hugged him back, closing his eyes with a long sigh. "Dumbass…"

No matter how much time passed or how much closer they got, Hinata still made Kageyama feel like an idiot with a crush—or maybe that wasn't the case at all. Crushes were painful and hard to bear, whereas the feeling of being with Hinata was like soaring. His heart was so full of warmth, it was like a furnace, and the only pain he felt was not being as close to Hinata's side as he wanted to be.

If that were the case, then perhaps he'd call it simply… 'love.'

* * *

 **A/N:** I WAS ROOTING FOR KAGEYAMA SO MUCH AND BOY HE DID IT ;-; My weak heart was breaking when I wrote that proposal oh man ｡ﾟ(*´□`)ﾟ｡ The tears...

The story has finally come to an end! This is my second major story that I managed to complete so far, and I'm very proud of how far it's come since I first started it. A huge thanks to everyone who supported the story! I hope you all love it as much as I do and will stick around for the upcoming one-shot series ・:*(〃∇〃人)*:・Thank you all again for your support!

The songs featured in this chapter are Mattia Cupelli's 'Rimani' and Brian Crain's 'A Love Story.'


End file.
